Hogwartvengers
by Somewhere's Sword
Summary: In which the Avengers are Hogwarts students. A series of oneshots, chronicling their school years and beyond; Hogwarts never knew what hit it. Multiple pairings. Slash, femslash, het. Includes Clint/Coulson, Stark Spangled Banner, Thor/Loki, Tasha/Hill, Bucky/Darcy, and others along the way. Mostly fluff.
1. Y1: The Start of a Beautiful Friendship

_Obviously, since the story starts out with them at 11 years old, there are no initial pairings. Pairings will be marked at the start of each chapter, and I've covered most Avengers basics. Endgame pairings are; Clint/Coulson, Steve/Bruce/Tony, Thor/Loki, Tasha/Maria, Bucky/Darcy (not including post-grad formed pairings). However, there are a fair few different pairings along the way; you should end up happy whatever you ship :)_

_**Title: **The Start of a Beautiful Friendship**  
**__**Summary: **Tony Stark is boarding the Hogwarts Express for the first time, and befriends a shy, quiet boy by the name of Bruce Banner on the way. Hogwarts won't know what hit it.**  
**_**_Wordcount: _**_2971  
**Year:** One  
**Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers, or anything you recognise from the Harry Potter franchise**  
_

_****This fic is now in the process of being podficced by Ali Camille, and the link is on my profile if you want to go listen :)_

* * *

Tony Stark said he wasn't nervous the first time he boarded the Hogwarts Express. He was lying.

His parents had, for once, come to see him off himself. Tony was still surprised his father had been there, but then he thought on the many cameras around, and wondered how many front pages they would grace the next day, especially if his sorting leaked. It was good publicity.

Still, the genius eleven year-old stood with a straight back and no tears in his eyes as he let his mother hug him, dabbing at her own cheeks with a handkerchief. "Remember, Anthony; no matter what house you're sorted into, we'll both love you just the same as we do now," she assured him, kissing his forehead. Tony stifled a small smile; he knew that wasn't true. If he were in Hufflepuff, his dad would probably disown him, and Gryffindor didn't bear thinking about. The only acceptable houses in his father's eyes were Ravenclaw and Slytherin.

"I need to go, mom, the train's about to leave," he urged, tugging himself out of her embrace. His father clapped him on the shoulder with one hand, gently cuffing him around the head with the other as he crouched to Tony's eye-level.

"Do us proud, kiddo. And remember what we talked about," Howard Stark instructed, a smile on his face. Tony nodded sharply; no causing trouble, no disgracing the family name, no sub-standard grades. He could only promise the last one, and they both knew it.

"I'll see you at Christmas," Tony replied, consenting to a stiff hug with the greying man. The Hogwarts Express began to spew smoke from the chimney, and Tony grabbed the handle of his trunk, dragging it towards the nearest open door. Hoisting it onto the train by himself, he glanced back at his parents for the barest moment before shutting the door behind him, wandering down the train. Most of the compartments seemed to house older kids, though Tony grinned to himself when he saw one with a single boy inside, looking about his age. He had messy dark hair, and had his nose buried in a book about magical theory. Tony's kind of guy. Nudging the compartment door open, Tony offered an easy grin to the other boy. "Hey, mind if I join you?" he asked, not waiting for an answer before heaving his trunk onto the luggage rack.

"I, uh, actually prefer being alone," the boy replied softly, his voice still polite even though he was clearly telling Tony to leave. Tony didn't let that deter him, grinning wider.

"That's only because you've never had the pleasure of my company before," he assured, dropping into the seat opposite the boy. The purple sweater he was wearing was somewhat threadbare, and there was a small hole in the knee of his jeans; a definite contrast to Tony's designer jeans and tight-fitting t-shirt with an expensive leather jacket over the top. "Tony Stark," he introduced, holding out a hand. The boy blinked, surprised.

"You developed the Stark Theorem of Magical Engineering," he declared, making Tony practically beam. Such a refreshing response from the usual 'you're Howard Stark's kid'.

"Yes, yes I did. You know my theorem, you're my new best friend, okay?" Tony told the scruffy boy. Very few people knew the Stark Theorem, and even fewer knew that it was actually Tony's and not Howard's. Tony had been seven, and purposefully ignorant of the 'limits of magic'. His theorem had allowed Stark Industries to progress in their search to combine magic and technology, though since Howard had developed the actual spell series, he'd gotten all the credit.

"I… I think I'd like that. Bruce Banner," the scruffy boy finally said, shaking Tony's hand. Tony smiled at Bruce, who smiled back tentatively.

"So, I'm assuming you're aiming for Ravenclaw?" he queried, and Bruce nodded.

"That's the plan," he confirmed with a somewhat shaky smile, as if he were concerned about how likely his plan would be to work. "How about you?"

"Ravenclaw is most likely, but Slytherin wouldn't surprise me. So long as I'm not a Hufflepuff," he added with an exaggerated shudder, making Bruce shoot him a look.

"Hey, Hufflepuffs aren't all bad. My mom was a Hufflepuff," he defended. Tony shrugged, rifling through his satchel until he found what he was looking for.

"Whatever, man. Blueberry?" He held out the bag of dried fruit out to Bruce, who hesitated before taking one, making Tony smile. That was definitely going to be the start of a beautiful friendship, Tony was sure of it.

.-.-.

He and Bruce were left fairly well alone during their trip, though Tony went a little overboard when the trolley came by selling sweets and snacks. He insisted on buying enough for Bruce too, despite the other boy's protests, and they spent the companionable ride discussing magical theory and quidditch, once Tony found out Bruce was a fellow Tornadoes fan. The conversation only halted when they drew closer to Hogwarts, and Bruce insisted on going to change in the bathrooms. Tony, never one to be body shy, had started stripping off in the middle of the compartment, and promised he wouldn't peek, but Bruce still left. Tony merely figured he was self-conscious.

Both boys were practically bouncing with excitement when the train pulled into Hogsmeade station, and Tony stopped Bruce with a hand on his shoulder before they left the compartment. "Hey, promise me; no matter where we're sorted, we're still friends. Even if you're a Hufflepuff," he added with a teasing grin, holding out an expectant fist. Somewhat bemused, Bruce obligingly fist-bumped him, nodding.

"Friends no matter what," he agreed, and with that settled, they both joined the flood of students leaving the train. First years were easy to find, being the only students without house colours on their robes, and Tony and Bruce made their way over to the gathering of their yearmates near the enormous man that Tony knew to be Hagrid, the gamekeeper.

"Firs' years, follow me!" the bearded man called, lantern swinging over their heads as he counted them. When they were all there, the group followed Hagrid towards the edge of the lake, and Tony resisted the urge to grab Bruce's hand, his stomach squirming nervously. His new friend had gone chalk-white, and Tony could see several other anxious-looking faces around him. At least he wasn't the only one. Tony grimaced when he saw a fleet of small boats waiting for them at the water's edge; he hated sailing. Ever since he'd fallen out of the family yacht aged nine, and no one had noticed for a whole twenty minutes. "Alrigh', hurry up! Four to a boat, quick now!" Hagrid urged, and Tony immediately looked towards Bruce, both with the same expression on their faces; we're sharing a boat.

They ended up in a boat with a friendly-looking dark-haired girl and a boy who introduced himself as Phil Coulson almost as soon as they stepped into the boat, shaking both their hands furiously. Tony immediately didn't like him. The girl merely gave her name as Jane, staying fairly quiet through the ride, too busy looking at the scenery. "We should be coming up to see the castle soon," Coulson told them. "Hogwarts: A History says that the first years are kept separate from the rest of the school before the sorting ceremony, but doesn't explain what the ceremony is. No one I've asked does either; I wonder what kind of test it is. It has to be pretty thorough to accurately gage personality enough to sort people into the four houses."

"Hey, Coulson?" Tony said cheerily, drawing the other boy's attention.

"Yes?"

"Shut up." Even Jane giggled at his words, and Bruce snorted despite his reproving look. Coulson looked as though the wind had been blown from his sails, but obediently quieted. Maybe he wasn't so bad. Tony's breath caught in his throat as he got his first glimpse of Hogwarts castle. He'd seen it in photos, but that didn't compare to the beauty of the building in person, and a glance to his side showed Bruce in an equal state of amazement.

They all bundled together once more when they got out of the boats, and Hagrid led them up to the huge oak front doors. One of them was open, and Tony recognised Professor Selvig stood waiting for them; the man had worked with his father in the past, and Tony had met him a couple of times. "I'll take them from here, Hagrid," he declared, the slight hint of a Nordic accent to his words. Hagrid nodded, slipping past the deputy headmaster and into the castle, and Selvig surveyed them flatly. "Follow me," he said curtly, turning on his heel and leading them inside. Tony tried not to gawp at the inside of the castle as he entered, concentrating on following the professor and keeping by Bruce's side. They were led into a small side-chamber, and he could vaguely hear the chatter from what must be the Great Hall. "Line up and make yourselves presentable," Selvig instructed, arms folded over his chest. There was a flurry of activity as they all shuffled into line, Tony stood between Bruce and Coulson, who was checking his hair in a pocket mirror. Who the hell carried around a pocket mirror?

Selvig adjusted the cloak of a tall boy with long blonde hair with a disapproving frown, but seemed satisfied with the rest of them, then carried on back to the front of the line. "This way, students," he called, leading them towards the now-open door to the main hall. Tony took a deep breath, offering Bruce a shaky grin.

"Ravenclaw, here we come," he muttered under his breath, sounding more confident than he felt. Walking in line, he drew on every ounce of confidence he'd gained from growing up under public scrutiny, giving his best careless grin and strutting walk as he followed the other first years onto the raised area of the hall in front of the teachers' table. There was a ragged old hat perched on a three-legged stool, and Tony was confused. What the hell was that about?

It all became clear once they were stood in line, and a rip in the brim of the hat opened. Then it started singing. Tony worried that he'd inhaled a few too many chemical fumes the night before, but a glance either side confirmed that he was definitely not the only one hearing the hat sing. Well, magic had done weirder things. When the hat finally shut up, Selvig pulled a scroll of parchment from his sleeve, unrolling it. "When I call your name, sit on the stool and try on the hat," he announced, eyes fixed on their little gathering. Tony had counted, and there were twenty-six first years including himself. "Adams, Michael." A nervous-looking fair-haired boy edged towards the stool, tentatively placing the hat on his head. There was a long moment of silence, and then Tony jumped as the hat barked out 'HUFFLEPUFF!' for the whole hall to hear. The yellow-clad table of students burst into applause, and Michael Adams grinned, placing the hat back on the stool and going to join his new housemates, his robes and tie turning yellow and black as he walked, the Hufflepuff crest appearing on his chest. "Banner, Bruce!" Tony gulped, giving the other boy's hand a quick squeeze hidden behind the folds of their robes before letting him walk forward.

"Please be Ravenclaw," he muttered to himself, barely audible. His face split into a wide grin as the hat shouted 'RAVENCLAW!' almost as soon as it touched Bruce's head, and as blue and bronze appeared on his robes and tie, Tony could see the other boy's relieved smile upon joining the Ravenclaw table. Now all he had to do was get in the same house as his new friend.

Tony wasn't surprised when Coulson made Hufflepuff. At all. He didn't pay much attention to everyone else, too busy wondering what it was about the hat that made it able to judge personality, but he did concentrate enough to find out that Jane's last name was Foster, and she was joining Bruce in Ravenclaw. Yeah, Tony liked her already. The tall blonde boy turned out to be called Thor Odinson, and he let out a loud cheer when he was sorted into Gryffindor. Again, Tony wasn't surprised. Finally, however, Selvig called out "Stark, Anthony," and Tony stepped forward, trying not to visibly wince at the round of whispers his name threw up around the hall. Of course everyone would know who he was; he'd been on the cover of Witch Weekly barely six months ago. He was quite possibly the most famous eleven year-old in the wizarding world.

Sitting on the rickety stool, he set the hat on his head, jolting when he heard a voice. '_Hmm, another Stark, eh?'_ the hat murmured, sounding intrigued. _'Very busy mind you've got going on here, lad. And I can tell you now, trying to steal Headmaster Fury's glass eye won't work. It's warded beyond even your skills.' _Tony resisted the urge to curse; there went his plans. He'd have to re-think a few things, and figure out what wards there were on that eye. '_You're rather like your father, yes, but… smarter, no doubt. Less driven, too, and that's definitely not a bad thing. Only one place for you, boy.'_ Tony crossed his fingers in his pockets, and couldn't stop the grin on his lips when he heard the hat shout 'RAVENCLAW!' to the hall. His eyes immediately met Bruce's, and he beamed when he saw the other boy applauding wildly. Setting the hat back on the stool, Tony watched his uniform change colour as he joined the cheering Ravenclaw table, several of them exclaiming how they'd surely win the house cup now with him joining them. Tony snorted to himself; they obviously didn't know of his reputation.

He slid onto the bench beside Bruce, clapping the other boy on the back. "Looks like we both ended up where we wanted," he pointed out, smiling widely. Bruce grinned back, nodding.

"I… I'm still in shock," he admitted, making Tony laugh.

"Give it a little while, we'll get some food in you. That'll make everything better," he remarked, twisting around to watch the rest of the sorting. There weren't many people after him, and Selvig took the hat and stool away when everyone had been sorted. By Tony's count, eight Gryffindors, five Slytherins, six Hufflepuffs and seven Ravenclaws. Not a bad mix, in all. The sheer number of Gryffindors was a little disappointing, but he couldn't complain. The hall went silent as Headmaster Fury stood, staring them all down through his one eye, his magical eye rolled far back into his head. That was cool and creepy at the same time.

"Twenty-six new brats to add to the tally," he declared, sounding unimpressed. "If any of you damage my school, you'll be in detention until your grandchildren arrive here. Now eat, and get to bed early. It's a long day tomorrow." With that, he sat down, and Tony barely had time to blink before the tables were covered in food.

"Is that it?" he asked Bruce, who shrugged.

"Short and sweet, and got the point across. I can't say I'm complaining; I'm starved," he admitted, already reaching for a large dish of vegetables, spooning a small mound onto his plate. Tony balked at the sheer amount of green and healthy on one plate, immediately filling his own with as many different kind of meat as he could reach. Bruce sighed, rolling his eyes, then spooned some green beans onto Tony's plate. "Eat your vegetables," he instructed, making Tony snort.

"What are you, my mother?" he asked wryly, though he let the green beans stay, and even added some carrots to the plate as well. He actually ate them, too, under Bruce's watchful eye. He was very glad at his new friend's foresight to sit at the end of the Ravenclaw table; it meant there were less people within reach to ask him about what it was like being Howard Stark's son. He hated that question.

Bruce had a hard time keeping Tony from inhaling twice his body weight in sugar when the desserts came, though the young genius did a valiant job of hogging most of the ice cream and chocolate cake. Bruce himself had a small slice of apple pie, and Tony graciously donated some of his ice cream hoard to his friend. "How can you even eat that much?" Bruce asked, shaking his head in exasperation. "By all rights you should weigh a ton!"

"Thinking burns calories," Tony pointed out. "And if there's one thing I'm good at, it's thinking. Hell, I can't wait to see what the potions lab set-up is like round here. I was halfway through a project before I came here and I really want to finish it." Bruce eyed him for a long moment, then sighed, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips.

"Need a brewing partner?" he asked, somewhat resigned. Tony grinned, spooning yet more ice cream and pie onto his friend's plate. Bruce could do with the calories; he was scrawny as hell.

"I like you. You can stay," he declared firmly, making Bruce chuckle.

"I'm so glad I have your approval." Not protesting at the extra dessert, Bruce started on the second helping Tony had given him, and the young Stark heir smiled to himself, making progress through his small mountain of ice cream. Maybe Hogwarts wouldn't be so bad after all.


	2. Y1: Furry Friends

**_Title: _**_Furry Friends__  
_**_Summary: _**_Tony, being Tony Stark, doesn't take long to find out Bruce's furry little secret. Bruce is surprised at how well things go._**_  
_****_Wordcount: _**_2083_**_  
_****_Year:_**_ One_

* * *

It took two months before Tony noticed a pattern, and another week and a half of research before he came to a firm conclusion. It was the only explanation; Bruce refused to change in front of him, occasionally flinched for seemingly no reason when Tony touched him, was suspiciously absent during the days of and around the full moon and looked like crap when he returned, and seemed to think that he didn't deserve to be around people. It was the little things, like how he seemed surprised when Tony dragged him into a brewing session or studying binge, or when Jane asked to pair with him in Astronomy — Tony spent most of the class sleeping when he actually turned up, and thus wasn't offended — and it all added up to show that Bruce was hiding something, and Tony was certain it was something big and furry.

He kept his suspicions from his friend, acting exactly as he always had, though keeping a careful eye on all the oddities that stuck out. Tony was somewhat surprised; the other boy seemed to have more issues than even he did. When the next full moon came around, Tony said goodbye to Bruce as he always did at around 5 in the afternoon — Bruce having the excuse of 'my mother is sick, I need to go visit her' — but cast a quick disillusionment charm and followed stealthily. The other Ravenclaw's shoulders were shaking as he walked towards the hospital wing, and Tony lurked invisible by the doorway as Bruce talked to Healer McCoy, who placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and passed him a disgusting-looking potion that Tony recognised as Wolfsbane. His theory was adding up. Bruce handed over his wand, watch and robe, which were all placed in a secure lock box, and Tony almost tripped over himself in an effort to get out of the way when the pair headed for the doors. Keeping a good distance back, Tony trailed them vigilantly, grinning to himself. Sneaking around his dad's labs in his younger years had finally proved worthwhile.

Bruce didn't talk as they walked through the empty corridors, though his shakes got more violent as they got closer to the castle doors. Tony felt a sharp pang in his chest; he wished he could give his friend a hug. He'd done research on the werewolf transformation; it was meant to be horrifically painful, and he hated the thought of quiet, meek little Bruce having to go through that every month. Stark Industries had helped develop the wolfsbane potion a lot over the past decade, but it still wasn't enough. All that did was make the wolf docile enough not to hunt down people; that didn't stop it from harming itself when in distress, or numb the pain of transforming. Tony winced as his footsteps rustled some wet leaves as they started outside, though the pair walking ahead of him didn't seem to notice.

Tony frowned when they started towards the whomping willow near the lake; Bruce ordinarily refused to go anywhere near the dangerous tree, and had given Tony a twenty-five minute long lecture when he'd tried to see how close he could get to touching the trunk. The reasoning became clear as, with a flick of his wand, Healer McCoy levitated a short stick towards the trunk of the tree. He pressed it against a bulging knot in the roots, and Tony's jaw dropped when the tree froze. "I'll be back to get you after sunrise," McCoy told Bruce, who nodded, then hurried forward and seemed to disappear beneath the tree just before it began to move again. McCoy sighed, then turned back to the castle. Tony didn't follow, heart hammering anxiously in his chest as he stared at the sky. The sun was well on its way down, and Tony couldn't draw himself away. Sitting cross-legged and still invisible on the wet grass, out of the tree's reach, Tony waited. And waited. And waited.

Eventually, the moon began to peek over the horizon, and Tony flinched when he heard an inhuman scream coming from far off; obviously wherever the passage led to, where Bruce was. He drew his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and squeezing his eyes shut as Bruce continued to scream and groan, his pain obvious. After several long minutes, the screams turned to howls, and eventually quieted. The transformation was over.

Tony didn't feel any triumph in having his theory confirmed. All he felt was a hollow, slightly nauseous feeling in his stomach as he listened to his best friend's cries of pain. He couldn't believe that even with the wolfsbane, Bruce still hurt that much. And no wonder he'd kept so quiet about things; werewolves were still regarded as dangerous monsters every day of the year, regardless of the fact that they only changed at the full moon. Tony was surprised Fury had allowed him to attend, but figured Bruce was obviously worth the risk; with a mind like his, he could go very far. And at least having him at Hogwarts allowed Fury to keep an eye on him.

Tony stayed until sunrise, when Healer McCoy arrived to take Bruce back up to the hospital wing. Tony's breath caught in his throat at the state of his friend; Bruce was wrapped in a blanket, and his face and arms were covered in cuts and bruises. He was either asleep or unconscious, and Tony was betting on the latter. When the coast was clear, Tony got to his feet and winced at the pins and needles in his legs, heading back towards the doors. He'd not slept a wink, and yet he was still wide-awake, the sounds of Bruce's screaming echoing in his mind. Even when he was back in his bed in the Ravenclaw dorm, Tony didn't sleep, staring at the ceiling as he mentally ran over every possible improvement he could make to the Wolfsbane potion. The research had been dropped a while back in favour of other things, but Tony could continue it himself. It would be hard work, but… it was worth it, for Bruce.

.-.-.

Bruce was back in the dorm and back to lessons two days after the moon, seemingly none the worse for wear. Still, Tony couldn't get the screams out of his head. In the free time he had between classes, homework and general mischief-making, Tony devoted every spare second to researching werewolves. They were incredible creatures, really; genetically designed to be the top of the food chain, the ultimate predator, with a far easier method of keeping up population than natural reproduction. If only Bruce could learn to control the wolf, it would be amazing.

Tony finally let it slip the week before the next full moon, when he and Bruce were brewing in one of the unused potions classrooms. Professor Pym allowed them to use the labs in off-time so long as they were careful about it; no one stopped Tony Stark from doing extra work. They were working on a variant of the Draught of Living Death, more to kill time than for any real scientific purposes, when Tony couldn't keep it in any longer. "Y'know, I'm a huge fan of the way you turn into a giant, furry wolfman," he said casually as he passed Bruce a stirring rod. Bruce's hand went slack, and the rod shattered on the floor.

"Excuse me?" he asked, deathly pale. Tony offered him a tentative smile.

"You really thought I wouldn't figure it out? Honeybear, I'm Tony Stark. It's pretty cool, though, in theory. I get the feeling the practical application is less than enjoyable." Bruce let out a long, shuddering breath, then met Tony's eyes. The young billionaire tried to convey his acceptance, and evidently he succeeded, for Bruce gave him a shaky grimace-grin in return.

"Yeah, that part's not so fun," he agreed wryly. "And, uh, for the record, I'm not giant. I'm still kind of a cub by wolf standards; Healer McCoy says I'll grow in both forms when I hit puberty." Tony suddenly had the mental image of an adorable little wolf cub Bruce running about, and wished it were the case.

"Wolf-puppy then," Tony corrected with a slight grin. Bruce bit his lip, looking anxious.

"You aren't going to… tell anybody, are you?" he asked in a whisper, fear in his voice. Tony shook his head, expression serious.

"Of course not; you're my best friend, Bruce. Keeping secrets is kinda in the job description," he assured. "And I, uh, asked my dad to send me all the notes on Stark Industries' wolfsbane development. He won't pick it up in the labs again, but I'm pretty sure I should be able to figure something out on my own," he added confidently. Potions was kind of his thing. Bruce gaped, looking stunned, before he threw his arms around Tony, knocking him back several steps.

"Thank you," he breathed into Tony's neck, making the slightly older boy grin, hugging back.

"I just want to make things better for you," Tony mumbled abashedly, but Bruce shook his head.

"You don't understand," he insisted. "You never could, but… thank you. Not just from me; a breakthrough could mean great things for werewolves all over the place. I… I gave up hope when Stark Industries announced they were benching the project." Tony suddenly hated his father for causing the despair in Bruce's voice; the project had been sidelined because there was more money in other ventures. Werewolves didn't have enough money to fund such a huge project, and Howard hadn't wanted it to come from his own pocket.

"Don't thank me yet; wait until I have that breakthrough," he pointed out, making Bruce laugh as he pulled back.

"Tony, you're the smartest eleven year-old in the wizarding world. If anyone can do this, it's you," he declared firmly. Tony smiled, then his eyes widened as their potion began to bubble ominously.

"Whoa, back up!" he exclaimed, casting a hasty shield over the cauldron and pushed Bruce away from the desk as it exploded, the cauldron cracking down the side and potion oozing from the seam and over the edges. "Oops." Bruce snorted, shooting Tony a look.

"Let's call it a night, huh?" he suggested, and Tony shrugged.

"Sure. You need your sleep, anyway," he added knowingly. The week before the moon was when Bruce's body would be shifting and stretching in preparation for the change. Bruce rolled his eyes, nudging Tony's shoulder with his own as he started to clean up the mess they'd made.

"You make me sound like a five year-old," he muttered, making Tony snicker.

"Not quite. But hey, at least you can stop with the lame-ass excuses each month. I swear, there's only so many times your mom can get sick," he teased, watching Bruce blush. At least now Tony knew, Bruce wouldn't have to make excuses; they were the only two in their dorm room, the other five Ravenclaws in their year were girls.

The smile on Bruce's face didn't falter as they tidied their things away, and he pulled Tony into another hug just before they left. "Seriously, thank you. I… I always worried that if someone found out, they'd tell the whole school. I was so scared when I got you as my dormmate; I knew if anyone could figure it out, it'd be you. I shouldn't have let myself become such good friends with you," he said softly. Tony frowned, briefly squeezing Bruce's hand.

"I'm glad you did," he replied quietly. Hogwarts would be a lonely place without Bruce as his friend. He made a silently promise to himself that Bruce would never know Tony had sat outside the willow during his transformation that one night; he didn't need the weight on his shoulders of knowing Tony had heard him in that much pain. And maybe Healer McCoy would let Tony drop off a bacon sandwich or two in the mornings after; Bruce always missed breakfast, and Tony knew from experience that hospital wing food just wasn't the same. He grinned to himself, mentally noting to go and speak to the healer; he could do with a second opinion on the potion research, too. Hank McCoy was one of the leading researchers in medi-magic, and Tony grinned to himself at the prospect of picking the man's brain, something Howard had been trying and failing to do for decades. Hopefully the healer wouldn't take the time Tony had given him blue fur for two weeks _too_ personally.


	3. Y1: Not Your Secretary

**_Title: _**_Not Your Secretary_**_  
Summary: _**_When Tony gets paired with Pepper Potts on a Herbology project, he expects to do what he usually does; as little work as possible. Pepper, however, has other ideas._**_  
Wordcount: _**_1990_**_  
Year:_**_ One_

* * *

Sighing to himself, Tony tried valiantly to stay awake as he listened to Professor Xavier lecture him about the amazing survival methods of magical plants. One thing he hated about Hogwarts was having to actually stick to the curriculum; most of the first year stuff he'd learned when he was six. He contented himself with his extra-curricular projects, as well as reading the work for other years in his free time — Reed Richards in third year could always be counted on to lend him his homework notes, even if he was an insufferable ass about it — though during class itself he was still bored. Especially in Herbology, which had never been a great passion of his to begin with. His suffering was only made worse by Bruce's absence; it had been the full moon the night before, and his friend was still in the hospital wing. He couldn't even sit with Jane to ease the boredom; she was happily gathered with her dormmates and a couple of Hufflepuff girls, and Tony had a thing about not approaching groups of girls larger than four.

"Today we will be starting out first long-term project," Xavier announced jovially, and Tony perked up slightly. He hoped it would be interesting. "Here, you have some shrivelfig pods. In pairs, you shall plant four pods, and it shall be your responsibility to keep these pods safe and cared for until they reach germination. Unlike many other magical plants, the shrivelfig is fairly delicate during its early stages, and it will be very obvious at the germination stage whether you have succeeded in caring for the plant appropriately." Tony stifled a groan; he had better things to do than look after some stupid delicate plant! The shrivelfig wasn't even useful in all that many potions!

"Sir, Bruce isn't here, shall I start on my own today?" he asked, sticking his hand up. Xavier gave him a look, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I know better than to put you and Banner together, Stark," the man replied flatly, looking somewhat amused. "I shall be assigning pairs for this project, and since you volunteered so nicely, Mr Stark, you and Miss Potts can have the first tray of pods." Tony's eyebrows shot up, and he glanced over at the Hufflepuff girl with fiery red hair sitting in Jane's little group. She looked anything but pleased at being partnered with him, but obediently walked up to take the first tray of pods from the workbench, reluctantly moving to join Tony. Xavier began assigning more pairs, but Tony ignored the commotion once he'd heard that Bruce would be working with Jane. Lucky bastard.

"You are not going to mess my grade up on this, Stark," Potts declared as soon as she set the tray in front of him, a determined look in her eyes.

"Whoa, relax, Potts. It's just a stupid plant; how hard can it be?" he reasoned. Potts placed her hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"You didn't listen to a thing Professor Xavier said in class, did you?" she asked, and Tony didn't hesitate to shake his head.

"Not a word," he chirped brightly. She sighed, glaring at him.

"Just shut up and do what I tell you. And for the record, it's Pepper," she added, making him frown in confusion. "My name," she clarified, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she reached for the tray. "It's Pepper. And I swear to Merlin, if you call me Virginia, I'll hex you black and yellow for a month." Tony chuckled, reaching for his dragonhide gloves.

"I like you, Pepper Potts," he told her, and her lips curled into a slight smile.

"Yay, me," she deadpanned, making him snort. "Just fill this pot with three parts soil, one part fertiliser and stop when you get to the mark. I hope that's a simple enough instruction for you, Stark?" she asked sweetly, spelling a red line around the inside of the pot, about four inches from the top.

"I think I can manage it," he assured with a wink, grabbing the bag of soil. "And it's Tony."

.-.

Working with Pepper turned out to be an eye opener for Tony in many ways. For one, she wasn't afraid to forcibly drag him from the potions lab or the library in order to make him help her with the damn pods. It turned out that shrivelfigs needed to be switched pots every six hours, watered every four on the dot, and moved from sunlight to darkness every twelve hours. Tony wondered why the hell anyone bothered with them if they were so high-maintenance. Surely there was nowhere they could grow in the wild like that?

For another, Pepper Potts didn't just stop at the practical part of their herbology project. Each pair had to write an essay describing the reasons for the high-maintenance of the shrivelfig, and chronicle any changes they noticed during the three weeks they'd be looking after them for. Tony had assumed Pepper would do the chronicle-ing, and he could just power through the essay the night before it was due; it was Herbology, it wouldn't take long. But Pepper had other ideas; she made him do his part in tracking changes in the pods, and organised all their notes for the essay in order to split it evenly between them. Tony wondered if she'd do the same for his Transfiguration notes; they were a mess. He wished he could use muggle notebooks for note-taking, it would be far easier than endless rolls of parchment.

Tony's wand vibrated on the desk nearby, signalling that he needed to go and change the pods into new pots, but he ignored it; he had five minutes to spare, and he was at a crucial point in his research. It had taken near-blackmail to get his dad to send him anything mechanical — Howard insisted that magical projects were acceptable during term-time, but anything 'muggle' should be kept to school breaks and summer — and he didn't want to screw it up. Tongue between his teeth as he kept a steady hand on his soldering iron, he cursed loudly as a hand landed on his shoulder, making him jolt. Hot solder dripped over the delicate wiring, and the circuit board began to smoke and fizzle. "It's your turn, Tony, get a move on." Tony swore under his breath, setting down the iron and looking mournfully at his ruined project.

"Goddamn it, Pepper, do you know what you just ruined?" he asked, turning to look at her. "Do you have any idea just what I had to do to even _get_ that here?" Pepper didn't let his anger bother her, staring coolly back at him.

"Go switch the pots. Now, before the timer runs over," she ordered. Tony glared and gathered up his things, tossing them carelessly into his satchel; they were broken now, useless.

"If you came here specifically to tell me to do it, why couldn't you go and do it yourself?" he asked with raised eyebrows, getting to his feet and grabbing his wand.

"Because this is meant to be a partnered project, Tony; that means you pull your weight. But if you hurry up, I'll help you," she told him with that dangerously sweet smile of hers. Tony didn't know why people thought Hufflepuffs were all sunshine and rainbows; they were _evil_.

"Sure, what the hell. You already ruined my work anyways," he muttered, shouldering his satchel and heading for the door.

"What were you even doing, anyway?" Pepper queried, easily keeping pace with his quick stride.

"I was _trying_ to build a computer circuit board that runs completely on magic. So thank you, for sending six months hard work down the drain, Pepper," he explained curtly. She winced, looking apologetic.

"Damn it, I'm sorry, I didn't realise," she murmured. "But why were you doing it now if you knew you'd have to switch the pots over halfway through?"

"Because tomorrow I have four essays to do and a brewing session with Bruce, then the day after is Ravenclaw study group, and I'm spending the whole weekend on another project, then next week I have like twenty different things to do, so long story short, today was the only time I had. I'll have to bench it until Easter, though; I need my lab at home to get back up to where I was," he explained, speaking very fast. Pepper blinked, surprised.

"Wow. When do you sleep?" Tony snorted, offering a grin.

"Sleep, my dear Pepper, is for the weak," he informed her.

"Seriously, though, why are you doing so much? No one expects you to stay the Stark Industries prodigy while you have schoolwork to do. You could chill out on the extra projects," she pointed out. Tony rolled his eyes behind her back; _everyone_ expected him to stay the Stark Industries prodigy while at Hogwarts. He was an eleven year-old with a reputation bigger than he was, and if he wanted his dad to let him into the house at the end of the year instead of shipping him off to summer school or his aunt's, he had to keep up that reputation.

"I like to keep busy," he replied instead, opening the greenhouse door for Pepper. Their pods were sat waiting next to the empty new pots, and Tony dug through his bag for dragonhide gloves while the redheaded girl reached for the soil and fertiliser.

"So, uh, I guess with all those projects you're doing, you get pretty behind on your class notes, huh?" Pepper mused, carefully measuring out soil in a large plastic jug.

"Who says I take class notes?" he retorted wryly. "Most of the first-year stuff I know, and the stuff I don't can be found in a book in ten minutes."

"Oh, please. Every class I have with you, you turn up with a pile of loose parchment and an adorable lost-puppy look on your face. I'm sure if you didn't have Banner to set you straight, you'd forget your class schedule," she pointed out in amusement. Tony shrugged, slightly sheepish.

"My classwork won't matter when it comes to exams," he reasoned. Pepper carefully eased the top layers of soil off the shrivelfig, and Tony readied the new pot.

"Yeah, but if you don't have the class notes, you won't know what to study to pass exams." She weighed the pod, noted a slight colour change, then set it in its new home, covering it with a thick layer of fresh soil. "If you wanted, I could help you out," she offered. "I'm sure your notes aren't in too bad a state. I could organise them for you, if you like." Tony looked up, surprised.

"You'd do that? Why would you do that?" he asked, somewhat suspicious. Pepper shrugged, smiling.

"You always look like you could use the help. And I don't mind, really; my dad's in the records department of the Ministry, it's kind-of in my blood to stay organised," she explained. "But you'll have to help me out at least a little; maybe next time you've got a weekend free?"

"Pepper, you are awesome, and I hope you're aware I will be taking full advantage of your organisational impulses from now until we graduate," Tony declared, completely serious. Pepper laughed, tucking her hair behind her ear after she'd settled the last pod in the pot.

"I think I can deal with that. You're not so bad when you're not being a jerk," she teased, making him grin. "How does weekend after next sound to you?" He stared blankly at her, and she sighed. "I'll pencil it in and remind you in a week." Tony beamed, throwing his gloves in his satchel.

"That's the spirit!" Now all they had to do was pass the damn Herbology project.


	4. Y2: Better Be Gryffindor

**_Title: _**_Better __Be Gryffindor_**_  
Summary: _**_Steve is absolutely certain that he's going to be told to go back home as soon as he gets to Hogwarts. Still, if he's got the chance to stay with Bucky, he'll do everything he can to make sure he gets sorted. The hat, however, has a surprise in store._**_  
Wordcount: _**_1948_**_  
Year:_**_ Two_

* * *

Tugging on his heavy trunk, Steve smiled thankfully at Bucky as the taller boy grabbed the other end, helping him lift it onto the train. "I swear, Steve, this damn thing is heavier than you are," Bucky teased, grinning. Steve blushed, but didn't say anything; Bucky was probably right. Glancing over at their mothers waiting on the platform, Steve swallowed back the lump in his throat, waving one last time. He was glad they'd said their proper goodbyes before leaving; he didn't want to make a scene on the platform. He was eleven years old, he shouldn't cry at saying goodbye to his mother. "Come on, short stuff," Bucky urged, clapping Steve on the shoulder. "Let's go find us a compartment.

Dragging his trunk along behind him, Steve followed Bucky, glad for the other boy's presence. He'd been so terrified that Bucky would get his Hogwarts letter and he wouldn't; or worse, Steve would get the letter and Bucky wouldn't, and then he'd have had to survive Hogwarts alone. But both their letters had come, and Steve couldn't be happier. Sure, he'd miss his mom, and he doubted he'd be in the same house as Bucky, but… at least they'd be in the same castle.

Bucky found them an empty compartment and hoisted both their trunks into the luggage ruck with an ease that Steve was jealous of. He only hoped Bucky didn't abandon him when he realised he fit in at Hogwarts and Steve didn't, and he started making new friends. "Hey, daydreamer," Bucky said to snap him from his thoughts, ruffling Steve's hair. "Sit down before you fall down, the train's about to start moving." Steve nodded, taking the seat opposite Bucky, and felt his cheeks go pink when his feet didn't even touch the floor. He tucked them up underneath himself in order to hide his shortness, though he figured Bucky had noticed. It didn't surprise his taller friend when Steve dug through his threadbare bag for his sketchbook and pencils, keeping his gaze determinedly away from his mother as the train pulled out of the station.

"You don't have to babysit me, y'know," Steve told Bucky quietly. "If you wanna go find other first years and make friends, you can. I'll hang out here and draw." Bucky shot him the all-too familiar look that read 'Steve, you're an idiot'.

"I'll have all the time in the world to make friends after we're sorted," he replied patiently. "And I want to spend my first ride on the Hogwarts express with my best friend. Even if he'll probably spend the whole time in his own imagination," he added with a grin, nodding towards the sketchbook. Steve shrugged sheepishly, not denying it.

"Thanks," he said quietly, making Bucky smile.

"No problem, short stuff. Go on, go ahead and draw. I'm just gonna read for a little while," he added, taking a book from his bag. Steve nodded, glancing out of the window at the beautiful scenery rolling by and propping his sketchbook up in his lap, open to an empty page. He didn't want to let the ride go by without drawing it.

.-.

Steve was surprised at how short the train ride seemed to be, but figured he'd lost track of time while drawing as he usually did. Bucky didn't seem to mind the lack of attention, and when Steve looked over at him when they had the announcement of being half an hour away, he was asleep. Setting his sketchbook back in his bag and carefully boxing up his pencils, he got up and went to shake Bucky's shoulder. "Buck, come on, we need to get changed," he urged, smiling in amusement when Bucky groaned feebly, cracking an eye open. "We're almost there." Nodding, Bucky got to his feet with a yawn, pulling both of their trunks down so Steve could get his uniform out. He almost laughed at the size of his own clothes compared to Bucky's, not hesitating in stripping off his t-shirt to pull his uniform shirt on. Bucky had seen his scrawny ass naked a hundred times, one more wouldn't hurt.

Steve felt his palms grow clammy and his face heat up as they pulled into Hogsmeade, his heart beating a mile a minute. "Just breathe, Steve," Bucky murmured, placing gentle hands on Steve's shoulders. Their foreheads pressed together, and Steve instinctively matched Bucky's breathing rhythm, as he did every time his friend snapped him out of an impending panic attack.

"I'm scared, Buck," he admitted in the tiniest whisper, and Bucky squeezed his shoulders reassuringly.

"Don't be, Steve. You're going to be sorted, and even if we're in different houses, you're still my best friend. They're not going to send you back home, and you're not going to puke in front of everyone," he insisted, having heard all of the worries before. Steve let out a whine in the back of his throat, and Bucky smiled. "Come on, short stuff. You might surprise yourself." With a sigh and a steadying breath, Steve pulled back, nodding determinedly. He could do this.

They joined the crowd of nervous first years, Bucky a good head taller than all of them, and followed the large bearded man with the lantern down a short path to the edge of the lake. Steve's stomach rolled at the sight of the boats, and a stocky dark-skinned boy shot him a concerned look. "Wow, you look like you're gonna pass out. You okay, man?" Steve opened his mouth, but no words came out, and Bucky placed a hand on his shoulder.

"He's fine," he said firmly, and the other boy raised an eyebrow.

"Sure, okay, just checking on him. He doesn't look so great." Bucky's hand didn't move, and Steve felt his legs turn to jelly when they were told to get in the boats.

"Come on, Steve; you promised me you wouldn't puke," Bucky reminded cheerfully, directing him towards a boat. The stocky boy joined them, as did a blonde-haired boy with a mischievous expression.

"Dude, if you're going to hurl, do it over the side of the boat, please," the blonde said as soon as he saw Steve's face, and Steve couldn't help but snicker.

"Don't worry, I think I'm good." As he spoke, the boats jolted into movement, and he gripped the edge with white knuckles, biting his lip so hard he thought it started to bleed.

"Easy there, soldier," Bucky soothed, rubbing his back gently. "You've got this." He glanced up at the other two boys, who were staring. "He gets seasick real easy." The blonde snorted, raising a narrow eyebrow.

"No, really?" he replied sarcastically. "Shift up." Carefully nudging the dark-skinned boy aside, the blonde sat in front of Steve, leaning forward to meet his gaze. "Hold out your hands." Confused, Steve did so, and flinched on instinct when the other boy took his wrists in his hands, pressing gently on his pulse points with his thumbs. "Old trick, helps motion sickness. It's to do with balance and junk; I don't really get it, but it works." Steve blinked, trying to focus himself. He did actually feel better a little bit.

"Thanks," he choked out, and the other boy sent him a grin.

"No problem. Clint Barton, by the way," he added. Steve managed a tentative smile that was probably more of a grimace.

"Steve Rogers, nice to meet you." Bucky's hand continued to rub circles on his back, and that combined with Clint's little trick was making the nausea recede easily.

"James Barnes, call me Bucky," Bucky introduced, eyes darting up to meet Clint's.

"Bucky? Where the hell did you get that name from?" Clint queried. Steve grinned to himself, not needing to look to see Bucky shifting uncomfortably.

"His middle name's Buchanan," Steve filled in, and Bucky cuffed him over the head.

"Damn it, Steve!" he whined as Clint began to snigger.

"Buchanan? Aw, dude, that's a terrible middle name. I can see why you go by Bucky. What about you?" he added, turning to the fourth member of their boat.

"James Rhodes. But a lot of people call me Rhodey," he offered.

"Bucky and Rhodey. Is James not a good enough name anymore?" Clint remarked, shaking his head. "How you doing there, Steve?"

"Good, thanks," Steve assured, looking up. His breath left him all over again when he saw the castle, though this time he didn't really mind.

"Damn," Bucky murmured, and Steve nodded in agreement. Rhodey let out a low whistle. The trip from the boats to the side-chamber of the Great Hall was a blur of 'whatever you do, don't puke' and Bucky's guiding hand to Steve, and he could feel himself shaking as he followed the others into the main hall. He couldn't stop the nightmare of being told they'd made a mistake, he was too weak and he should go home from playing out in his head. It was a good thing his surname didn't begin with A; he was completely zoned out during the explanation of the Sorting Hat, and the hat's song. Bucky flashed him a grin when his name was called, sauntering up to the hat and perching on the stool. There was a beat, before 'GRYFFINDOR!' was yelled out, and the red-and-gold clad table burst into raucous applause. Bucky beamed as his robes changed, and Steve tried to smile. There went any chance of them being in the same house. Still, he wasn't surprised; Bucky was practically Gryffindor to the core.

He smiled when he saw Clint go into Hufflepuff; that was where he was most likely to be sorted, at least he might have a friend there. It was a long wait for his name to be called, and he almost missed it, too busy being relieved that Rhodey made Hufflepuff too. Two people who were nice guys in the house he was likely to be in, maybe it wouldn't be so bad being without Bucky. When Selvig called his name, Steve stepped forward, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other so he didn't fall over in front of the entire school. Sinking onto the stool in relief, he jumped when the hat spoke to him. '_A little nervous, ey?'_ it chuckled, its voice low. '_Don't worry, you're not the first. Now, where do you fit in?'_

_'Nowhere,'_ Steve thought automatically, and the hat hummed in disapproval.

'_Now, that's not true. You just haven't found your place yet. But I know exactly where it is; and remember Mr Rogers, I'm never wrong.' _Before Steve could ask what the hat meant, it shouted out 'GRYFFINDOR!' and Steve gaped. The table burst into the same applause that they'd given Bucky, though Steve was sure he could hear whispers of 'how the hell is he a Gryffindor?' echoing around the hall. Still, he left the hat on the stool and headed for the open seat next to Bucky, unable to believe it when his robes changed colour and his tie became a deep red and gold. What had the hat meant? How could it possibly think he was suited for Gryffindor? He wasn't brave! He just didn't know how to run away from a fight; that was stupidity, not bravery.

"Congrats, short stuff! I didn't know you had it in you!" Bucky cheered, clapping him on the shoulder with a wide grin. Steve blinked, still shell-shocked.

"Neither did I," he replied faintly, making Bucky snort. The hat's words still rung out inside his head. He hoped he 'found his place' soon, because he doubted he'd last two seconds in Gryffindor until he did.


	5. Y2: In Which Rhodey Arrives

**_Title: _**_In Which Rhodey Arrives, and Bruce is Insecure_**_  
Summary: _**_Rhodey has been Tony's best friend since they were babies, and now he's started at Hogwarts Bruce is worried about his own place. Tony is quick to set things straight._**_  
Wordcount: _**_2373  
_**_Year:_**_ Two_

* * *

Tony beamed when he saw his younger friend walk towards the Hufflepuff table, the badger proudly displayed on the crest on his robes. "That's my boy," he muttered softly, knowing it was the best place for Rhodey. He was so damn Hufflepuff it was sickening.

"You know him?" Bruce queried, and Tony nodded.

"We grew up together," he replied, watching as a shaking, scrawny kid shuffled up to the hat. Expecting another Hufflepuff, his jaw dropped when the hat declared the kid a Gryffindor. "Now that's unexpected," he murmured, seeing the boy looked as shocked as everyone else.

"Wow; kid looks like a strong wind would blow him over. He'll be eaten alive," Bruce agreed, sympathy in his tone.

"I'll get Thor to keep an eye on him, and Rhodey," Tony assured. He watched as a taller first year who had been sorted early on clapped the scrawny kid on the shoulder, grinning widely. "Though it looks like he's already got a guardian angel there."

"Rhodey?" Bruce asked, perplexed. Tony jerked a thumb towards the Hufflepuff table.

"James Rhodes. He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember; our fathers are friends, and he was the one friend my dad actually approved of. That'll probably change now he's a badger, though, but who gives a crap?" he added with a smirk, not noticing Bruce's smile falter. The werewolf merely hummed in agreement, though his commentary on the sorting stopped. Fury gave his usual short speech, and when the food appeared, Bruce didn't dig into it with his usual gusto. Tony, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to outdo the amount of food he ate at last year's feast. "You okay?" he checked between bites, a concerned frown on his face, and Bruce faked a grin, nodding.

"Yeah, fine. Just not that hungry," he lied easily. Tony's frown deepened, but he shrugged, apparently accepting the explanation and going back to his own meal. Bruce nibbled at a roast potato, his appetite completely gone. He should've known the other shoe would drop eventually.

.-.-.

Despite his reluctance, Bruce found himself tagging along with Tony early the next morning to go meet the infamous Rhodey. Tony had spent half the night gushing about all the crazy stuff they'd gotten up to pre-Hogwarts and how Bruce was going to love Rhodey, unaware that he was driving the stake a little deeper with every word. Tony had a best friend from before Hogwarts; of course he did. A charismatic guy like Tony didn't have a friendless childhood. And Bruce could tell all-too easily how things would go. Tony and Rhodey would reconnect as if they'd never been apart, having spent the whole summer together back home, and Bruce would quietly fade into the background now Tony didn't have need of him. He was used to it.

"Come on, Bruce, hurry up!" Tony urged, tugging Bruce along by the hand. They turned a corner, and Bruce felt a pang at the way Tony's grin widened when he spotted Rhodey sitting on the steps. "Hey, Rhodey!" The first year turned, beaming when he saw Tony.

"Hey, man!" he greeted, jumping up and hurrying over to hug Tony tightly.

"Congratulations, little badger," Tony teased, punching the boy lightly on the shoulder when they parted. "How are you liking your house?"

"It's pretty cool. Clint, one of my roommates, snuck out last night — he probably thinks I didn't notice, but I did — and the other guy's pretty quiet, but he seems cool. And everyone else seems nice," he added, making Tony smile.

"Good to know. Hey, Rhodey, this is Bruce; I told you about him," Tony said suddenly, grabbing Bruce by the wrist to drag him closer. "Bruce, meet Rhodey, he's just as awesome as you are so you'll get along great," he insisted, sounding pleased. Bruce tried not to squirm as Rhodey eyed him up carefully.

"So you're Tony's new science buddy, huh? And roommate, too; best of luck to you, man, I know it's not a job I'd want," he added with a snort. Bruce managed a faint smile, wondering what exactly Tony had told Rhodey about him.

"Yeah, well, so long as he keeps his side of the room vaguely tidy, I'm happy," he replied evenly. Rhodey snorted, giving Tony a sideways glance.

"You know the meaning of vaguely tidy? Tony, I'm impressed," he joked, earning another punch to the shoulder.

"Don't get smart with me, sourpatch. Come on, Bruce and I have double History of Magic first thing, and I'm gonna need some coffee if there's any sort of chance I won't sleep through the entire thing," Tony declared, leading the way towards the hall. "You go sit with all your little badger friends, I'll catch up with you later." Rhodey laughed, hugging Tony loosely around the shoulders.

"See you, Tony. Try not to blow anything up."

"No promises!" Tony called after him, smirking as he and Bruce headed for the Ravenclaw table.

"He seems to be settling in well," Bruce remarked noncommittally, and Tony grinned.

"Rhodey settles in anywhere," he insisted. "Guy can make friends in ten minutes. Still don't know why he puts up with me." Bruce's smile became genuine at that; Tony didn't seem to see why any of them put up with him.

"Probably the same reasons I do," he replied, making Tony raise an eyebrow.

"My unfailing charm and devastating good looks?" he presumed. Bruce snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Homework help," he teased in return. Tony poked Bruce in the chest, shaking his head.

"Now I know you're lying; you've never needed help with your homework," he declared knowingly. "But that's okay, keep your secret list of reasons you adore me. I know you have one." Bruce gave his friend an exasperated look, reaching for some toast.

Neither of them were surprised when Pepper perched on the bench beside Tony, her day planner in her hand. It was the blue one, which meant it was the one with Tony's schedule in it; hers was red. "Did you do the Charms homework like I told you?" she asked, and Tony hummed in confirmation, his mouth full.

"Yes, ma'am," he assured once he'd swallowed. "And good morning, by the way."

"Good morning. Hi, Bruce," Pepper added with a smile, before her face grew serious again as she stared at Tony. "You need to finish the essay for Selvig today, then you've got the evening to brew with Bruce."

"Can't you do it for me? You've done the essay, right?" Tony whined, but Pepper didn't waver.

"You could do that essay in your sleep, Tony. And no, that's not a suggestion," she told him firmly. "It'll take you ten minutes, twenty if you're slow about it. You've not got any urgent projects on the go, I know you don't."

"But I was gonna hang out with Rhodey after class!" Tony protested.

"We, uh, don't have to brew today," Bruce piped up tentatively. "If you want to spend time with Rhodey. It's cool." Tony shot him the look that said he was being an idiot.

"Of course we have to brew today. I promised I would, and besides, we're making so much progress! I want to," he insisted. "Rhodey can spend time with his new Hufflepuff buddies, or maybe make friends with the scrawny new Gryffindor. Oh, that reminds me. Hey, Jane?" he called up the table, and the brunette girl looked up at him. "You're friends with Thor, right?" Her cheeks went faintly pink, but she nodded.

"Yeah, why?"

"Could you ask him to keep an eye on the scrawny kid who was sorted into Gryffindor last night?" Tony requested. Jane smiled slightly, a knowing look in her eyes.

"Steve Rogers?" she checked, and Tony shrugged. He assumed that was the kid's name.

"Yeah, him," he confirmed. Jane nodded, offering a smile.

"Sure thing, Tony. I think Thor and his friends were planning on it anyway; the kid's tiny, and the Slytherins know easy pickings when they see it," she added with a glance over to the green and silver clad table.

"Good, good. Now, Pepper, if you'll excuse us, we have to get to History of Magic," Tony said to the redhead, who smiled.

"I know you do, Tony. Which is why you'll need this." Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a heavy book that Tony recognised as his History of Magic textbook.

"What, where did you get that? I had it right… oh," Tony murmured, looking into his own bag to find the book he'd thought was his History textbook was actually a book on seventh year potions. "Oops." Pepper smiled in amusement, swapping the books over.

"You're welcome. Now get going, or you'll be late," she urged. Tony sighed, getting to his feet, and looked to Bruce.

"Come on, then, honeybunch. It's naptime," he joked, walking alongside the other Ravenclaw. Bruce laughed, giving Tony a playfully scolding look.

"I thought you said you wouldn't sleep through the whole thing?" he asked, making Tony grin.

"I said I'd try, not that I'd succeed," he corrected smugly. Bruce sighed, rolling his eyes and following Tony to the classroom, wondering how much longer he had before he was just a guy Tony shared a dorm with and said hi to in the corridors occasionally.

.-.-.

As Tony had promised, they headed down to the potions labs after dinner, and Bruce was just starting to believe that maybe Rhodey starting Hogwarts wouldn't mess up his friendship with Tony. At least, until Rhodey appeared in their lab. Tony grinned when the Hufflepuff appeared, and the two launched into happy conversation. Bruce stayed quiet, focusing on his potion, convinced the other two had forgotten he was there. "Hey, Tony, I think I'm just gonna pack up and head back to the dorm," he interrupted quietly, turning off the burner underneath his cauldron, vanishing the potion inside. It was a mess anyway; he'd been distracted. Tony frowned, brow furrowed.

"How come? You feeling okay?" he asked, glancing down at his watch. Bruce knew he was checking the date, seeing how close it was to the full moon. Obviously he'd forgotten that there was a moon only two weeks ago.

"Yeah, fine. But you've obviously got some catching up to do…" He trailed off, shouldering his satchel. "I'll see you later." Not waiting for a reply, Bruce left the classroom, letting out a long breath when Tony didn't follow. He had to distance himself; it would hurt less.

Slipping quietly into the Ravenclaw common room, Bruce headed straight for their dorm, smiling faintly when he saw that once again, half of Tony's stuff had migrated over to his side of the room. To be fair, Tony did have a _lot_ of stuff. Tidying away some of the clothes strewn about the floor, he grabbed a book off his shelf and clambered onto his bed, shutting the drapes in an attempt to block out the rest of the world and just read.

Tony came back in after about an hour, and being Tony, completely ignored Bruce's closed drapes, pushing them aside to sit on the end of Bruce's bed. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked, sounding confused. Bruce dog-eared his page, setting the book aside.

"What? No. What makes you think that?" Bruce queried. Tony shrugged, biting his lip.

"You've been really quiet since last night, and you sat with Pepper in Charms today. You never sit with Pepper in Charms. And then you left early just now when we were brewing. So, did I do something wrong?" he repeated earnestly.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Tony. I sat with Pepper because she needed help, and I left early because I thought you'd want to spend some time with your best friend," Bruce explained. Tony's frown deepened.

"Well I did, but then he left, so…" He gave Bruce a pointed look, and the werewolf rolled his eyes.

"I meant Rhodey," he replied.

"Rhodey's already got his own friends in his year, he just dropped by to say hi," Tony told him. "Besides, you're my best friend… aren't you?"

"I don't know, Tony, am I? You and Rhodey have been friends since you were in diapers, I don't blame you for wanting to hang out with him. I just… I know how it goes. First year was great, but… now you've got your best friend back, and you're gonna wonder what the hell you were ever doing letting the stupid werewolf kid tag along with you. It's okay," Bruce assured, tucking one knee against his chest. Tony stared at him for a long moment, and Bruce resisted the urge to squirm.

"Y'know, considering how smart you are, you're really, really stupid," the billionaire told him frankly. "I like you, Bruce. A lot. I don't tend to _like_ people. I love Rhodey like a brother, but he's not you! He doesn't _get_ all the science, and potions, and magical theory. He just passes it off as 'Tony's weird shit' and leaves it at that. You actually understand what I'm saying when I start ranting about the laws of magic and electro-magical theory and everything else my crazy brain comes up with. And you know I don't care about the furry guy," he added, knowing Bruce didn't like him calling it 'the wolf'. "So yeah, Rhodey's here, and that's awesome, but I'm not gonna drop you for him. So get that into your thick skull, okay?" Bruce managed a tentative smile, and Tony returned it tenfold.

"Okay," he agreed softly. "Also, just to clarify, I still don't understand most of what you're saying when you rant about electro-magical theory." Tony laughed, shuffling up the bed to sit beside Bruce, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and smacking a kiss to his temple.

"But you listen anyway, which is the important part," he pointed out, grinning. "So stop thinking I'm going to ditch you, honeybear. And help me with my Astronomy chart, I forgot about it in the summer." Bruce sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. Second year was turning out to be pretty similar to first, and Bruce kind-of hoped it stayed that way.


	6. Y2: Late Night Meetings

**_Title:_**_ Late Night Meetings_**_  
Summary: _**_The first time Clint Barton speaks to Natasha Romanoff, it's nearly midnight, and he's wearing pyjamas._**_  
Wordcount: _**_1599_**_  
Year:_**_ Two_

* * *

Hufflepuffs were _not_ lame. Clint Barton had believed that his whole life, and that belief had only strengthened when he himself had been sorted into Hufflepuff. He hadn't ever thought he'd even make it to Hogwarts, having grown up the token muggle in the magical circus he'd joined at age five, after his parents had been killed. Getting his letter had been a surprise to everyone, and Clint didn't think he'd been prouder in his life.

But before getting his letter, he'd had to deal with seeing the casual acts of magic by everyone in the troupe, as well as watching the younger members return to Hogwarts at the end of every summer. They'd all graduated by the time he got there, unfortunately, but one of his earliest memories was wandering around the snow-filled circus with a thick yellow and black scarf wrapped around his neck, given to him by the same boy who had taught him how to shoot, and given him his first bow. Alex had been the older brother he'd never had, and Clint had missed him every day since he'd left the circus after graduating with six Outstanding NEWTs. Alex had proved to him that Hufflepuff was by no means the 'weak' house, or the 'lame' house, and now Clint had a yellow scarf and badger-adorned crest of his own, and he would prove that to the rest of the school. Because yeah, badgers were cute and fluffy, but so were lions, and people forgot about the goddamn honey badger. That's what Clint liked to think of himself as; the honey badger amongst all the normal badgers.

It only took him a week to learn the layout of the school, and another two to find all the best high spots to hide in without getting caught. He tended to ignore curfew, sneaking about the school as silent as a shadow and hunting down all the best places to retreat to for some alone time. He even found a spot big enough to set up a makeshift target and get some shooting practice in. The teachers didn't know he'd brought his bow with him, and if he had his way, they never would.

Waiting for his two dormmates to fall asleep, Clint toed on his boots and slipped out of bed, fully dressed. Digging his bow out from under his bed, he slung it and his quiver over his shoulder, sneaking from the dorm room and down the hall towards the main common room. Thankfully, it was empty, the fire burned down to glowing cinders and the couch cushions neatly put in place by whoever the last occupant had been. Clint paused when he saw a book strewn on the floor beside the squashy black armchair usually occupied by Coulson, the uptight second year that Clint was sure should've been a Ravenclaw with the way he was always reading. Then again, maybe he'd asked for Hufflepuff to avoid being in the same house as Stark and Banner; Clint knew he would have. Coulson was nice enough, though, and kept quiet when he saw Clint hiding up in the rafters of the Astronomy tower after dinner one evening. Clint appreciated that.

Creeping out behind the statue of the house guardian, Clint smiled at the empty stretch of corridor in front of him, immediately making a bee-line for the kitchens. He'd skipped dinner to catch up on some homework, and was regretting it. Tickling the pear, he smirked when he was greeted by a small gathering of eager house elves, all rushing to take his requests. "Just some leftovers from dinner tonight, if it's not too much trouble," he asked politely, knowing that one of the most important things was to be on the good side of the house elves; it could get you into all sorts of places. "And a glass of milk?"

"Isn't milk a little… juvenile?" Clint visibly jumped at the voice, whipping around to see there was someone else in the kitchen already, other than the house elves. It took him a couple of seconds to recognise her as Natasha Romanoff; a fellow first year, though she was a Slytherin. They had Transfiguration and Charms together, though he'd never actually spoken to her. She was sat at the small table with what looked like a grilled cheese sandwich and a mug of fragrant tea, and had a house elf waiting by her side for further instruction.

"Yeah, maybe I'm a little juvenile," Clint retorted evenly, sauntering over to join her at the table as the house elves rushed to fix him a plate.

"No one ever argued that, Barton," Natasha said with a snort, eyeing him coolly. Clint ignored the little flutter of pleasure he got at the fact that she knew his name. "I didn't think any other first years knew how to get here," she admitted, making Clint's smirk widen.

"Neither did I. But I should've figured a secret like this would be too good to stay secret for long," he reasoned. Natasha shrugged, tucking a lock of fiery red hair behind her ear.

"Hey, I won't tell if you don't. I have to say, though, you're the last person I'd have expected here."

"Why, because I'm a Hufflepuff?" he asked somewhat defensively, and she smiled slightly.

"No, because you're a bonehead," she replied, a hint of teasing to her tone. Clint snickered, leaning back in his chair.

"Just because I don't pay attention in class doesn't mean I'm not learning," he insisted, making her roll her eyes.

"Oh, please; you slept through Selvig's lecture today, don't think I didn't notice," she accused, sipping at her tea. Clint smiled when two house elves rushed up to his side with a large glass of milk and a plate of roast beef with vegetables and mashed potatoes, and murmured a quick thanks to them.

"What can I say, it was a boring lecture. Nothing you can't learn from reading the damn textbook, anyway," he pointed out. Natasha looked somewhat impressed, her smile widening by the tiniest fraction.

"You've read to the end of the textbook? Tonight's just full of surprises." Clint scowled lightly, kicking her under the table. "Ooh, feisty Barton. Guess that bow's not just for decoration, huh?" Clint blinked, having forgotten he was wearing his beloved weapon. There went that cat out of the bag.

"You think I'd carry it around for looks at-" he glanced at his watch, "ten to midnight? Of course I know how to use it." Natasha merely nodded, looking somewhat pleased. "And it's Clint; Barton makes me feel like I'm in trouble."

"Sure, Clint," Natasha agreed easily. "I guess that means it's you who set up the target in the room on the fifth floor corridor behind the tapestry of Sir Lancelot?"

"Oh come on, can't I have _any_ secrets around here?" Clint whined, annoyed that someone else knew about his spot. It was _his_ spot, damn it! "I bet you know about the secret passage from the second floor Charms corridor to the Great Hall, too."

"I do now," Natasha replied, amused. Clint cursed in frustration, feeling his cheeks redden.

"Damn it!" Natasha laughed, and he glared at her. "Whatever. It's not the only place I know of," he told her, draining half of his milk in one go.

"If you're talking about the room above the roof of the South tower, I've found it. I wondered whose comic books those were; I cannot believe you have like, twenty Superman comics and not a single Batman. Seriously, are you brain damaged?" Clint tried not to choke on his beef in surprise; she knew comic books? Well, that answered the question of her heritage. He didn't know many purebloods who read comics.

"No, I'm just not stupid enough to leave my Batman comics around where clearly, anyone can find them," he assured her, giving a pointed look. "They're back in my dorm. You can, uh, borrow them if you want. If you've not read any of them." Natasha faltered, looking at him with an expression he couldn't quite make out, before she smiled faintly.

"Yeah, that'd be cool. Now hurry up and finish your food; I wanna see if you're lying about being able to use that bow. Then you can help me scope out the West tower," she added, because evidently Clint didn't have any say in the matter.

"I've already done the West tower," Clint informed her. "There's a small passage behind the portrait of Bodrick the Brave that leads to the Owlery, but it's all mouldy and icky and totally not worth it. I swear, I almost got a disease from that damn passage." Natasha snorted, though her eyebrows rose.

"How the hell have we managed to miss each other? I've been all over this school since I got here, I can't believe we've not run into each other before now," she remarked, and Clint shrugged, swallowing his mouthful of food. The house elf at his side took his empty plate, and he finished off his milk, refusing seconds.

"I guess we just timed things badly," he mused. "You coming or what?" Getting to his feet, he waited for Natasha to finish her tea, thanking the house elves. When she stood, she folded her arms over her chest, eyeing him appraisingly, and Clint stared back unflinchingly. "What?"

"Nothing. Just wondering how the hell you ended up in Hufflepuff," she said evenly, and he nudged her shoulder with his, scowling lightly as they headed for the portrait hole together.

"Hufflepuffs are _badass_."


	7. Y3: Family Ties

**_Title: _**_Family Ties_**_  
Summary: _**_Loki is finally off to Hogwarts, and his only goal is to stay as far away from that stupid brother of his as possible. Thor doesn't approve of this plan._**_  
Wordcount: _**_1876_**_  
Year:_**_ Three_

* * *

Loki kept his hair over his face as he walked down the platform, his trunk trailing along behind him. His pace was quick, so as to put as much distance as possible between himself and his family, and he didn't meet anyone's gaze. All around him families were making happy yet tearful goodbyes, but all Loki wanted to do was get as far away from his family as possible. "Loki, aren't you going to say goodbye to mother and father?" He sighed at the loud voice, wondering if Thor would ever learn the meaning of volume control. Turning, he gave his brother a cool stare, raising an eyebrow.

"Goodbye, mother and father," he said simply, briefly glancing at his parents before turning back to the train again. Before he could board it, however, a large hand grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Brother, please," Thor murmured, his blue eyes earnest. "Can you not just be civil for ten minutes?" Loki sighed, scowling, though allowed the blonde third year to direct him back towards their parents. His mother's lips were pursed, and his father was frowning at him.

"I'll see you at Christmas, I suppose," Loki told them with a sigh, standing stiffly while his mother hugged him around the shoulders. He doubted they'd allow him to stay at the castle for the holiday.

"Good luck with your sorting, dear," Frigga murmured. "And do try and make friends." He scoffed; like that was going to happen. When she released him, Odin clapped him on the shoulder.

"Do the family proud, son," he said, his voice just as booming as his son's. Loki resisted the urge to roll his eyes; he'd not done the family proud once in his life. They weren't even _his_ family.

"May I go now, _brother_?" he asked waspishly, and Thor gazed at him sadly.

"If you must. I'll come find you after the feast," the older boy assured, making Loki grimace as he turned away, dragging his trunk towards the train. He'd much rather Thor went off with his stupid Gryffindor friends and didn't bother him after the feast. Hoisting the trunk onto the gleaming red engine, he found the nearest empty compartment, wishing he knew a locking spell; he didn't want to be disturbed. Still, no one bothered him while he sat on his own with his nose in a book, and eventually the train began to move.

Several hours went by, and Loki happily sat in his peaceful compartment, reading a book on rare magical creatures, wishing his mind would stop straying to considering what his brother was getting up to. He _didn't_ care about Thor. There was a loud slamming noise, and he looked up in alarm as his compartment door was wrenched open and a small dark-haired girl rushed inside, shutting the door again with an equally loud bang. "What in Merlin's name are you doing?" he exclaimed, glaring at the girl who had interrupted his reading.

"Hey, dude, chill, I just need to hide out here for like, ten minutes," she insisted, unceremoniously stretching out on the seat opposite him. She was already dressed in her uniform, scruffy as it was, and her plain tie told him that she was a first year, like him. Joys.

"And who gave you permission to do so?" he retorted icily. She snorted, seemingly unfazed.

"Who said I needed permission? You don't own the train," she told him. "Also, you might wanna get dressed soon, we'll be there soon." Loki glanced down at his black jeans and green sweater, then over to the satchel containing his uniform.

"I can't very well do that with you in here, can I?" he pointed out with a scowl. "Who are you hiding from, anyway? Surely you can't have made enemies before we've even arrived." She flushed, looking sheepish.

"I may have, uh, tasered this guy. But he was freaking me out! Really loud and waving his arms all over the place. Smoking hot, though," she added, smirking.

"Did he happen to have shoulder-length blonde hair and a Gryffindor tie?" Loki asked knowingly, already feeling a headache building. The girl nodded, brow furrowed.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"I believe you just tasered my brother," he told her flatly. Her mouth formed a small 'o', and she blushed.

"Really? Crap, sorry, but like I said, he freaked me out. And it wasn't even really tasering, it's this spell I learned from this really cool book. Still, sorry dude." Loki laughed, surprising her.

"By all means, don't apologise; the great brute deserves a good shock every now and then. All the better coming from someone like you," he added, eyeing her up. She folded her arms over her chest, glaring at him.

"What do you mean, someone like me?" she snapped defensively.

"A girl. And a small one, at that," he explained nonchalantly. She paused, then smirked once more.

"Yeah, I did kind-of own his ass. I'm Darcy, by the way."

"Loki," he replied, making her eyebrows shoot up.

"Dude, your name is _weird_," she declared. "I like it." Before he could say anything, she jumped up from her seat, peering through the window in the compartment door. "Looks like the coast is clear. I'll catch you later, Loki." Before he could even say goodbye, she raced out of the compartment as quickly as she'd entered, leaving Loki alone once more. He stared after her, then sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

"My bloody luck, we'll end up in the same house," he muttered under his breath, getting back to his book.

.-.-.

Loki was quite sure he was the only one in the gathering of first years not worried about being sorted. Whichever house he was in, he'd end up disappointing someone, so he hardly thought it mattered. Besides, there was really only one option for him. He followed the crowd into the hall, determinedly not looking over at the Gryffindor table where his brother was sat with his friends. He hoped to any gods that were listening that he wouldn't end up there. He didn't think he'd be able to stand it.

Only half paying attention to his yearmates being sorted, he squared his shoulders when he heard the shout of "Laufeyson, Loki!" from Professor Selvig. Stepping up to the stool, he sat down and placed the hat on his head.

'_Ooh, well, you are an interesting one, aren't you?'_ the hat whispered in his mind, and he felt shivers down his spine. '_Destined for many things, though whether great or terrible has yet to be decided. Not quite a Ravenclaw, definitely not a Hufflepuff…'_ Loki felt alarm grip him at the only two choices left.

'_Not Gryffindor,' _he pleaded desperately, gaze flicking finally to his brother, who was watching intently. '_Don't sort me in the same house as him.'_

'_You're awfully quick to scorn him, young man. Do not forget, he thinks of you as a brother, and your coldness surely pains him. But if you're certain, I suppose there's no convincing you.'_ There was a pause, before the hat yelled 'SLYTHERIN!' for the hall to hear, and Loki let out a sigh of relief even as Thor's face crumbled in disappointment. Loki pushed away the slight stab of pain he felt at the sight, taking the hat off and walking to join his new housemates as his uniform changed colours. It surprised him when the girl from the train, Darcy Lewis, was called immediately after him. She sauntered up to the hat seemingly without a care in the world, and there was several minutes of silence as she apparently argued with the piece of sentient cloth. Eventually, however, the rip in the brim opened, and the hat bellowed 'HUFFLEPUFF!', causing a satisfied smirk to creep across Darcy's face. Loki's brow furrowed; she was definitely one to watch out for. A snake in badger's clothing if he'd ever seen one.

He didn't bother trying to speak to his fellow Slytherin first years — of which there were four — nor anyone else at his table during the feast, eating very little and slipping away without notice. At least, he thought he hadn't been noticed. "Loki, wait!" He groaned under his breath at the call, turning to see Thor jogging up the corridor after him.

"What are you doing here, Thor? Surely you can't have eaten enough to satisfy that horrendous appetite of yours," he remarked, but Thor's step didn't falter.

"Steve is saving my seat," the blonde explained. "I said I'd see you after the feast." He paused, then offered a tentative smile. "Slytherin, hmm? You'll do well in there, I'm sure."

"Why, because I'm a manipulative little sneak who can't be trusted?" Loki sneered acidly. Thor blinked, looking hurt.

"Of course not!" he protested, offended that Loki would even think he'd have that opinion. "Because you are cunning, and unafraid to do what you wish." Loki snorted internally; how very untrue that was. "I'm proud of you, brother." Even as he spoke, Loki remembered the look on his face when he'd been sorted, and how they didn't match up with his words now.

"Spare me the platitudes, Thor. And if you'll excuse me, I should retire for the night." Thor grabbed his arm, stopping him from walking away.

"Why are you registered as Laufeyson?" Thor asked, voice somewhat hollow. Loki winced; of course that wouldn't have gone unnoticed.

"Because it is my name, as much as Odinson is yours." Thor took a step closer, towering over the younger boy.

"It is not your name anymore, brother," he began, but Loki stepped back, glaring.

"_We are not brothers_," he hissed. "No one must know we are related by adoption. No one." Thor frowned, looking perplexed.

"But why not? There's nothing shameful about it." Loki laughed bitterly; of course, there was nothing shameful about it for Thor. He didn't have to deal with being the family disappointment.

"You're a Gryffindor, Thor, and I'm a Slytherin. No one would believe us anyway, and I wouldn't want to taint your _reputation,_" he added dryly. "Promise me you won't tell anyone. Swear to me that no one will know of our connection. As far as you're concerned, I'm just another Slytherin." He couldn't stand it if he was known as 'Thor Odinson's brother' all through his Hogwarts career, as he was everywhere else. He needed to make a name for _himself_.

Thor didn't look pleased, but bit his lip. "If I swear to it, will you stop running from me?" he asked hopefully. Loki sighed; it was an acceptable compromise.

"Deal."

"Then I swear I shan't tell anyone you're my brother. Because you _are_ my brother, Loki, whether you like it or not." Before Loki could protest, Thor wrapped him in a tight hug. "You're my brother, and I love you. There needn't be blood between us to make that true."

"Go back to your Gryffindor friends, Thor, before dinner is over," Loki replied, determinedly keeping a blank expression even as Thor looked so very pained.

"Goodnight, Loki. Pleasant dreams." Loki turned back down the corridor towards the dungeons, not glancing back to check if Thor was leaving, and wondered why his chest felt so tight. Stupid brothers.


	8. Y3: Hawk Amongst Owls

**_Title:_**_ Hawk Amongst Owls_**_  
Summary: _**_Clint likes the owlery. It's high up, has a great view, and it's peaceful if you don't mind the owls. He never expected anyone to find him up there, least of all Phil Coulson._**_  
Wordcount: _**_1047_**_  
Year:_**_ Three_

* * *

It was the one place in the school where Clint could pretty much guarantee no one would look for him. Besides, he liked it there; it was peaceful, high up, with a great view, and fairly quiet if you didn't mind all the hooting and screeching. Yeah, the owlery was quite easily one of Clint's favourite parts of Hogwarts. Balanced precariously on a beam in the rafters, Clint stared out of the high window, smiling at the harris hawk perched beside him. He didn't know whose hawk it was, but it came and sat with him every time Clint went there. "Hey, buddy," he greeted softly, reaching out with gentle fingers to stroke the bird's feathers. "How's it going?" The hawk cocked its head at him and bobbed, making Clint grin. "That good, huh?"

Taking his hand back as the hawk ruffled his feathers, Clint sighed to himself, chin propped on his knee. He was sure he hadn't missed home at the beginning of his first year as much as he did now, starting his second. Probably because he'd been so intent on making friends and exploring the school, he hadn't had time to think about it. Now, however, he already had his friends, and he doubted there were many parts of the school he hadn't yet found. He had nothing but homework and hanging with Nat to keep his mind off everyone back at the circus. It didn't help that he could feel himself getting antsy; his limbs were twitching in anticipation, and the extra energy was flooding through his body more than he could stand it. He wished there were somewhere he could set up a basic trapeze rig to get some of the tension out of his shoulders. He was even tempted to take up quidditch, just to get the rush of flying, but he wasn't good with team sports.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Clint hooked his knees around the beam and swung back down in order to watch. His eyebrows rose when Phil Coulson wandered into the owlery, his uniform pristine as always. He brought his fingers to his lips and made a soft whistling noise, and Clint watched the harris hawk lift off the beam beside him, swooping down to land on Coulson's arm. That's who the hawk belonged to? Somehow, it fit; the bird was just as proud and neat as its owner. Clint watched Coulson attach a scroll to the hawk's leg, scratching it behind the ear before letting it lose, watching his bird fly out towards the Forbidden Forest. Expecting the older boy to leave, Clint was surprised when his fellow Hufflepuff leaned against the window sill. "Y'know, Barton, hanging out up there could be considered a breach of personal privacy. Not to mention damn dangerous." Clint nearly fell off his beam in shock at the voice.

"How the hell did you know I was up here?" he called back, disgruntled. Coulson's head tipped up, amused eyes meeting Clint's.

"Your tie is bright yellow, genius; you're a little hard to miss," the older boy retorted. "Now get down here, I'm getting a crick in my neck just looking at you." Clint smiled, easily pushing off his beam to a lower one, swinging further and further down until he landed lightly on his feet, throwing in a few flips just to show off. That was another thing he loved about the owlery; the placement of the beams was the best place in the castle to do some acrobatics, he just had to watch out for splinters. Coulson's face was blank, though Clint liked to think there was a slightly impressed look in his eyes.

"No one else has ever noticed me up there. Not even with the yellow tie," Clint told him, and Coulson gave him a look.

"How often do you go up there?" he asked, surprised. Clint shrugged sheepishly.

"Few times a week. Your hawk likes me," he added with a slight smile. Coulson chuckled, shaking his head.

"Knew the little bastard was warming up to someone; you've been giving him owl treats," he accused, no malice in his voice. Clint flushed, nodding. At least that was the hawk's gender confirmed.

"Only a couple," he said hurriedly, but Coulson's lips twitched.

"He's getting fat," he muttered reprovingly.

"I can stop, if you want," Clint offered apologetically. Coulson shook his head, smiling a little wider.

"It's fine, I'll just give him more work to do. Mom and Dad will probably appreciate it," he mused with a shrug.

"What's his name?" Clint asked, both out of curiosity and to distract Coulson from asking why he was hanging from the rafters.

"Sitwell," Coulson replied shortly. Clint frowned — that was a really weird name for a bird — but didn't say anything. "So how come you spend so much time up in the rafters?"

"I like heights," Clint replied evasively. Coulson didn't look convinced, and Clint shrugged. "Seriously, it's nice up there. My, uh, circus name is Hawkeye." His eyes went wide after he spoke, and he wondered where the hell that admission had come from. He didn't tell _anyone_ about the circus, ever.

"Nice. That just involve nesting and acrobatics, or what?" Coulson queried, surprising Clint with the lack of judgement in his tone.

"I'm one hell of a sharpshooter, too," Clint added, proud. "Best with a bow, but… give me something and tell me to hit something else with it, and I guarantee I'll be dead on." Coulson chuckled, smirking.

"Impressive. How long have you been up there? Did you even eat dinner?" Clint frowned, checking his watch. Damn thing had stopped again.

"Wait, it's past dinner?" Coulson sighed, grabbing him by the shoulder of his jumper.

"By an hour. Come on, let's get you something to eat, stupid brat. I'll even let you in on a little secret," he urged, practically dragging Clint from the owlery. Clint allowed himself to be directed down the stairs, smiling. He couldn't remember the last time someone had actually cared about whether he'd eaten dinner or not.

"If your big secret is the location of the kitchens, I'm sorry but I beat you to it," he informed the older boy, who gave him a look of disapproval in response.

"Of course you did."


	9. Y3 The Appearance and Disappearance

**_Title: _**_The Appearance and Disappearance of Pepperony_**_  
Summary: _**_After overhearing some rumours, Tony re-evaluates his relationship with Pepper. Turns out, he needn't have bothered._**_  
Wordcount: _**_1883_**_  
Pairing: _**_Pepper/Tony_**_  
Year:_**_ Three_

* * *

Tony sighed, biting his lip as he tried not to be too obvious in his eavesdropping. "I heard he's taking her to meet his dad over Christmas break." This statement prompted a round of hushed giggles from the girls, and Tony's eyebrows shot up; how did that get around?

"I think they're really sweet together, y'know? Even if he is kind of a jerk. He's Tony Stark; Pepper's done well for herself," a Gryffindor girl in the group remarked, making Tony smirk despite himself.

"Pepper? Please, Tony's the one who has it made. She practically runs his life for him anyway," a Hufflepuff pointed out. Tony smiled; that part was definitely true. He listened as the girls changed subjects, discussing the guys in their year who were actually single, and wandered away when he concluded he wasn't going to get anything useful out of the conversation. Hands in his pockets, he headed back to the Ravenclaw common room, deep in thought. Was he missing something? Maybe the kids who had started the rumours were onto something; dating Pepper would be great for him. She looked after him, kept him organised, and if they dated not only could he spoil her with presents without being asked for an ulterior motive, he could kiss her. Kissing, from what he'd heard from some of his friends, was awesome. Tony hadn't actually kissed anyone yet, not wanting the press to find out when he actually did, but he thought he'd like to.

He was glad when he found Bruce in their dorm, reading a book on his bed. Tony hopped onto the opposite end of the bed, not waiting for an invitation. "Do you think I should date Pepper?" he asked conversationally. Bruce glanced up from his book, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know, should you?" Tony hummed, shrugging.

"I don't know. I mean, everyone seems to think we're together anyways. I like Pepper, Pepper's awesome."

"She is," Bruce agreed, attention back on his book.

"Maybe I should date Pepper. I mean, I'm awesome, she's awesome, it's a match made in heaven, right?" Tony reasoned, poking Bruce's ankle when he didn't get an immediate response.

"Don't you think Pepper should have some say in this decision?" the werewolf pointed out, making Tony grin.

"Honeybear, you are totally right. I'll ask her in the morning." He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Bruce's cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Bruce replied evenly, still reading even as Tony got off his bed, heading to his own. Frowning to himself, the Ravenclaw shook his head, getting back to his book. "Did I even do anything?"

.-.

True to his word, Tony found Pepper at breakfast when she came to remind him of the Herbology homework he had to do. "Do you wanna go out with me?" he asked abruptly, making her raise an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"You. Me. Dating. Yes or no?" Pepper scoffed, perching on the bench beside him.

"Is this a joke?" she queried, reaching for some toast and eggs to put on his plate to balance out the small mountain of bacon. "Tony, I've told you a hundred times, you can't just have bacon for breakfast."

"That plate full of bacon right there says I can," he retorted, gesturing to the serving plate he'd gotten his food from. "And no, I'm not joking. Go out with me; there's a Hogsmeade weekend this week, I'll take you somewhere nice." There had to be somewhere date-worthy in Hogsmeade, it was pretty much the only place the students could go. Pepper blinked, staring at him incredulously.

"What brought this on?" she asked, and he shrugged.

"Just had a thought. Come on, say yes? I promise there won't be any crazy stunts or pranks involved." Pepper sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," she agreed, making him grin.

"Fabulous." Pepper pulled out the planner she had for Tony, and that, apparently, was the end of that.

.-.

Tony met Pepper in the entrance hall that Saturday at nine, and smiled when he saw her; she was in tight-fitting jeans and tall black boots, a pretty green sweater making him realise that yes, she definitely had curves. "Hi," she greeted, smiling shyly, and Tony felt nerves curling in his stomach. It was ridiculous; it was only Pepper.

"Hey," he replied, offering a grin in return even as he felt his palms grow clammy. "Shall we?" She nodded, falling into step beside him as they went outside, starting on the long walk to the village. "So, uh, I thought we could go to Honeydukes or something, and then maybe just have a look around and then have lunch at the Three Broomsticks?" he told her, amazed at how much he was tripping over his own words. "You look nice, by the way." Her smile brightened, and she gave him a once-over.

"You clean up pretty nicely, too," she teased. "Sounds like a plan." Shoulders almost touching as they walked close together, Tony wondered if he should hold Pepper's hand. That's what people did when they dated, right? "So how's quidditch going? First game in a few weeks, you nervous?" Tony grinned; quidditch was a safe subject. He could talk about quidditch.

"Pepper, sweetcheeks, you should know; Starks don't get nervous," he told her, making her laugh. "I think we've got good chances, though. And I'm not just saying that because I'm on the team." After a suggestion from Pym about channelling his energies into something a little less intellectual, Tony had tried out for the quidditch team at the beginning of the year, surprising himself by making seeker. "The rest of the team are great, and Gryffindor are all really young this year. Hell, rumour has it they've got a second year on their team." Regardless of the fact that Barnes was built like a fourth year, he was still only twelve.

"Hey, don't knock Bucky, he's pretty good," Pepper defended, making him raise an eyebrow.

"Since when was he Bucky to you?" he asked skeptically. She shrugged, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I'm friends with Peggy Carter, and she hangs around with Steve Rogers. Bucky and Steve come as a package deal," the redhead explained, and Tony let out a small noise of comprehension. He knew about Bucky and Steve — Thor still kept an eye on Steve, and was sort-of friends with him, so he'd heard all about them — but he hadn't known the two boys were friends with Peggy.

"Cool. And he might be 'pretty good', dear Pepper, but I can guarantee we're better," he added with a smirk. She laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Sure you are," she placated, making him pout.

They reached the village, heading straight for Hogsmeade, and Tony impulsively grabbed Pepper's hand as they entered the crowd of students. She looked surprised, but didn't pull away, and Tony grinned. Success. Dragging her towards some of the more weird and wonderful sweets, Tony let his eyes scan the shelves, looking for something he hadn't tried before. Grinning at some gruesome-looking bug-shaped sweets, he picked them out, only to hear Pepper groan in disgust. "You're not seriously going to eat those, are you?" she asked, and his grin widened.

"Variety is the spice of life, honeybunch. Give me those, I'm paying," he added, gesturing to the pack of sugar quills in her hand. She sighed, but didn't argue, knowing better by now. He had to let go of her hand to pay, and neither of them were quite brave enough to take the other's hand back once more. Bag in hand, they left the packed shop, and Tony glanced sideways, wondering what the hell he was meant to do next. "Should we… walk?" he suggested. Pepper nodded, and they set off with no particular destination, the silence between them stilted. "We should be doing something. I feel like we should be doing something. Should we be doing something?" Pepper blinked, looking at him askance.

"We are doing something. We're walking," she pointed out. Tony rolled his eyes in frustration.

"Something date-y. What do people do on dates, anyway? I feel like I should be giving you flowers and taking you dancing, or something. Or buying you things." Pepper scoffed, shooting him a warning look.

"Don't do either of those things and you'll be just fine," she assured, shuddering at the prospect of either flowers or dancing. "And you are buying me things, you bought me the quills. But I don't have any idea what people do on dates any more than you do." Tony frowned, then took Pepper's hand in his. People definitely did that on dates.

"Well… what do you like to do? I've known you over two years and I feel like I barely know anything about you," he said, feeling slightly sheepish. Pepper laughed, bumping his shoulder with hers.

"That's because you don't ask," she pointed out dryly.

"Wow, I suck," Tony declared, making her laugh harder. "Come on, tell me, what do you like doing? What's your favourite colour? Tell me everything." Pepper rolled her eyes, but obliged, and Tony mentally congratulated himself on giving them something to talk about. Pepper was happy to talk about herself, and Tony tried his best to listen, brain only straying to mechanics a few times. He startled when there was silence, and looked around, realising that they'd walked away from the village and Pepper had gone quiet, her hand hot in his.

"I'll never get over how amazing the scenery around here is," she murmured, and he hummed in agreement. Pepper turned to face him, growing ever closer, and his breath caught in his throat. Was she going to kiss him? Her eyes fluttered shut, and she leant in, lips slightly pursed. Heart pounding, Tony met her halfway, lips pressing tentatively to hers. He held it for a couple of seconds, expecting something incredible to happen, but all he got was a vague feeling of uncomfortableness, and wondered when he could pull away without offending her. Well, damn.

Pulling back, he hoped the frown on Pepper's face meant she hadn't seen fireworks. "Was that…"

"Really weird?" he finished for her, and she nodded, letting out a relieved laugh.

"Oh, thank Merlin it wasn't just me. Why was that so weird?" Tony snorted, giving her a look.

"You think I know? God, it was like kissing my sister, and I don't even have a sister. It shouldn't be weird!" Pepper sighed, taking his hand back and squeezing gently.

"Maybe we're just not meant to date? I don't even know why you asked me out, anyway."

"I overheard some people talking," he explained, leaning into her side. "They thought we were already dating. I guess I thought maybe they were onto something. Why did you say yes?" Pepper shrugged.

"Thought it might be fun. I was totally not expecting the major awkwardness." They both fell silent for a long moment, before Tony turned to the redhead.

"How about we just pretend this never happened, write it off as one of my stupid ideas, and go see who we can meet for lunch at the Three Broomsticks?" he suggested, making Pepper grin.

"That, Mr Stark, sounds like the best idea you've had all day."


	10. Y3: Learning to Run

**_Title: _**_Learning to Run_**_  
Summary: _**_Tony saves Steve from being beaten up by Slytherin fifth years. Steve is grateful, until Tony starts teasing him. Still, at least he means well._**_  
Wordcount: _**_1403_**_  
Year:_**_ Three_

* * *

Tony had his nose buried in his book as he walked through the empty corridor, dictating rapidly to the quill and parchment bobbing along beside him. It was easier to get his essays done like that so he could spend more time working on his own things in the evenings. He paused when he heard a shout, brow furrowing. "Finite," he murmured, catching his quill and essay before they could fall to the floor. There was another shout, and the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh, and Tony immediately detoured in the direction of the noise. Turning a corner at a near-run, he stopped in his tracks when he saw the source of the shouting. Two burly Slytherin boys he vaguely recognised as fifth years had cornered scrawny Steve Rogers against a tapestry, and Steve already had bruises. "What the hell is going on here!" Tony snapped, drawing closer to the trio. Both Slytherins turned, eyes going wide when they saw the Stark heir.

"Just showing Rogers here who's boss," one of them drawled, and Tony scowled.

"Pick on someone your own size, he's three years younger than you!" he retorted, standing protectively in front of the Gryffindor. "Walk away, or I'll have you expelled." From any other third year it would've been an empty threat, but he was Tony Stark, and his father was on the board of governors. The two boys shared a look, then glared at him, but obediently turned to head back up the corridor. When they were gone, Tony turned to Steve, frowning in concern. "Are you okay? Merlin, you're a mess," he muttered, gently grabbing him by the jaw in order to study the bruise on his cheek.

"I'm fine," Steve insisted, wincing at the touch. "I've had worse." Tony scowled.

"That doesn't make it okay. Damn, Rogers, those guys were twice your size. Don't you know how to run?" Steve shrugged, then let out a hiss of pain at the motion. Tony immediately reached for the boy's shoulder, rotating it experimentally. He'd injured himself enough times to know how something felt when it was out of place.

"They were picking on first year Hufflepuffs. A little girl had hexed one of them, some kind of electric shock spell, and they didn't seem impressed. I couldn't just stand there and watch them beat up little kids, Stark," the blonde explained, making Tony snort, shaking his head.

"You damn Gryffindors are all the same," he muttered, and Steve grinned, apparently taking it as a compliment. "But I can see where you're coming from. Come on, let's take you to McCoy; I don't like the look of that shoulder."

"I'm fine!" Steve repeated. Tony raised an eyebrow, folding his arms over his chest.

"Rogers, you already look like a strong breeze would snap you. That guy's hand could crush a kid like you. Hospital wing, now." Grasping Steve's good shoulder, Tony steered him down the corridor in the direction of the hospital wing. "Where's your shadow, anyway?" It was rare to see Steve without Bucky Barnes in tow, and Tony was beginning to understand why.

"Quidditch practice," Steve explained, one eye slightly squinting as his bruise began to swell even more.

"Oh yeah, he made chaser didn't he?" Tony remembered hearing the rumours confirmed; Barnes was the youngest member on the Gryffindor team, but was apparently very good. Ravenclaw got to play Gryffindor first, so Tony figured he'd see how good Barnes really was then. "How come you're not in your common room?" Steve shot him an annoyed look.

"I didn't think it would be such a problem for me to walk around on my own. I don't need a babysitter," he insisted, making Tony snicker.

"Sure you don't. And you would've been totally fine if I hadn't come and rescued your ass," he teased. Steve scowled, cheeks going red.

"I don't need rescuing! I'm not a little kid!" Tony glanced sideways at him, eyeing him appraisingly.

"I dunno, you _are_ kinda small," he mused. "Cute, though. No wonder Peggy's adopted you." Steve's blush grew brighter, making Tony grin.

"Peggy hasn't _adopted_ me, it's called being friends!" he protested. Tony smirked, wondering if there was a little crush there on Steve's part. He wouldn't blame the kid; Peggy Carter was hot. She'd already shut him down three times, though, and Tony didn't fancy trying for a fourth.

They entered the hospital wing, and McCoy looked up, sighing when he saw Steve. "Another fight, Mr Rogers?"

"Another?" Tony asked, eyebrows raised. "Is it like, a regular thing for you to get beaten to a pulp?" Steve flushed, ducking his head.

"It happens every couple of weeks or so," he admitted in a mumble, hopping up onto a bed so McCoy could examine him. Tony stayed, even as Steve stiffened uncomfortably when McCoy vanished his shirt to get a better look at his shoulder. The boy's chest was thin and pale, thought he had the flattest stomach Tony had ever seen, and the Ravenclaw could easily count Steve's ribs. Damn, how was he even _alive_? "You don't have to stay, Stark. I'm in safe hands now," the blonde prompted, grimacing in pain as McCoy prodded at his shoulder.

"I dunno, maybe I should stick around, walk you back to your common room. Wouldn't want you getting jumped again on your way back," Tony joked, then offered a smile. "And it's Tony." Steve blinked, surprised.

"Sure, Tony. Then stop calling me Rogers; my name is Steve. You can stick around if you want, but I might be a while. Healer McCoy likes to keep me for as long as possible," he joked with a grin to the Healer, who rolled his eyes.

"Yes, well, it keeps you out of trouble. Though seeing as you clearly have plans, I suppose I'd better let you go," he remarked, and Tony grinned when Steve's cheeks reddened. McCoy found the Gryffindor a new shirt, and Steve shrugged it on gingerly, using a spell to get the buttons. Shuffling off the bed, he offered a tentative smile to the Ravenclaw.

"Don't you have stuff to do?" he queried as they left the hospital wing. "You always seem to be busy; you don't need to walk me back if you've got somewhere else to be."

"I'm all yours," Tony promised. "Nowhere else to be but here." That wasn't technically true — he'd said to Bruce he'd be back at the dorm by seven — but what Steve didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Tony was intrigued by a guy who was so tiny and fragile, yet willing to get beaten up regularly to defend people. He was either ridiculously stupid, or the very epitome of a Gryffindor.

Steve smiled slightly, looking pleased by the answer. The walk back to Gryffindor Tower was somewhat awkward, neither of them knowing what to say, but luckily it was only a short one. "Now, can I leave you here and not have to worry about you falling out a window or getting punched in the head by a seventh year or some shit?" Tony asked with raised eyebrows, stopping outside the Fat Lady's portrait. Steve flushed, offering a small grin.

"I'll stay in the tower, promise. And keep away from open windows," he added, making Tony laugh.

"Good choice. I'll catch you later, Steve. Just scream in a girlish manner if you ever need my dashing hero self to save you," he teased. Steve scowled, punching him in the arm.

"I am _not_ a girl, damn it!" he argued, before glancing sideways somewhat shiftily. "D'you think you could, y'know, leave so I can say the password and get in?" Tony snickered, deeply amused.

"Seriously, you think I don't know it already? Felix Felicis." The Fat Lady huffed, but obligingly swung open, and Steve spluttered.

"I… how?"

"Thor," Tony said by way of explanation, making the blonde groan and shake his head. "Go on, scurry off into your tower, little lion. I'll see you around."

"Yeah, see you around, Tony," Steve replied, hopping through the portrait hole. It closed behind him, and Tony winked at the Fat Lady, turning to walk away. That was his good deed done for the day; he even got rewarded with the sight of Steve's bare chest. He smirked to himself, wondering what to tell Bruce. Merlin forbid his friend think he was capable of doing something _nice_ for someone.


	11. Y3: Ever the Genius

_**Title: **__Ever the Genius__**  
Summary: **__Tony makes a breakthrough, and Bruce is sent to go drag him out of the lab. He's just in time to witness the success_  
_**Wordcount: **__1468  
**Year: **Three  
_

* * *

Bruce was concerned.

Of course, being Bruce, 'concerned' seemed to be his general state of being, but he was especially concerned. About Tony. Who hadn't been to class, meals, or anywhere else for three days.

Bruce knew exactly where he was — in the potions lab that had been informally declared 'Tony's lab' — but usually Tony surfaced for air and food once a day. Maybe he'd finally convinced the House Elves to start bringing him food in his lab. That or he'd blown himself up and none of them knew yet.

"I haven't seen him, professor. You know how he gets; he'll rip my head off if I interrupt him in the middle of something this big," he explained to Professor Pym, who was also concerned. For Tony to have shut himself off for so long, it _had_ to be something huge.

"I know, Bruce, but I still want you to go check on him. He's missed three days of classes, and the rest of the professors are worried about him. If he's going to let anyone into his cave, it'll be you," Pym reasoned. Bruce's lips twitched in a smile at the word 'cave', hoping Tony didn't ever hear him say it. He didn't want him turning it into some super secret lair any more than it currently was.

"Sure, I'll go find him. But I can't promise to drag him out; if he's onto something, he won't let me interrupt him." Pym waved him off, nodding.

"Oh, I know, I know. If he's onto something, I wouldn't want you to interrupt him. Just make sure he hasn't killed himself down there." Bruce snickered, and his head of house dismissed him. Setting off towards the dungeons, Bruce walked quickly, hoping Tony was fine. Surely the House Elves would've alerted someone if Tony was hurt?

The corridors were fairly empty on Bruce's journey, most people in their common rooms or still at dinner, and Bruce found the quiet somewhat disorienting. Everything had been far too quiet for three days; it was strange, not having Tony babbling on about science and magic, or making snide remarks and jokes during class. He missed his friend. But at least Tony had waited to do his research until after the full moon, there in the hospital wing the morning after with a bacon sandwich as he always was, ready to help Bruce get back on his feet. Bruce appreciated it.

Stopping outside the door to Tony's lab, he snorted at the crudely drawn 'Do Not Disturb: Science Happening' sign tacked to the door, complete with picture of 'science' — Tony electrocuting himself, by the looks of things. Knocking anyway, he leaned in close to the door. "Tony, it's me!" he called, hoping his friend hadn't soundproofed the room. "Come on, let me in, it's just me!" There was silence, then a loud explosion, before Bruce heard coughing.

"It's open!" Tony called, and Bruce nudged the door open, eyebrows shooting up when he saw the inside of the room. The floor was practically one giant scorch mark, and there were endless rolls of parchment stuck to the walls, all covered in calculations in the manner of Tony's holographic interface back home. Tony himself was stood in the midst of it all, an engine block in front of him, and with only one eyebrow. There was a gravy-stained plate on a bench in the corner, which at least set Bruce's mind at rest. "Bruce, man, you have _got_ to see this. I think I've done it," Tony urged, rushing over to grab Bruce by the wrist and drag him towards the engine block.

"Done what?" Bruce asked, perplexed, but Tony merely pointed to the engine block, letting Bruce go so he could pick up his wand from the floor. With a murmured spell that Bruce couldn't quite catch, the engine roared to life, and the werewolf's jaw dropped.

"Oh Merlin, have you…?" Tony turned to him, beaming, a slightly manic glint to his expression that betrayed his lack of sleep.

"That, my dear Bruce, is a completely mechanical engine running on 100 percent magic. I've done it. I've created the spell that's going to bridge the gap between the muggle and magical worlds that little bit more, and make the Stark Industries board members cream themselves with glee. And I did it totally without dear old dad's help," he added proudly, puffing out his chest. Bruce grinned widely, bringing his friend into a tight hug.

"Congratulations," he murmured, ignoring Tony's grease-stained clothes and less-than-pleasant smell after three days without showering. "I knew you could do it." Tony pulled back, dragging Bruce over to the parchment on the walls.

"Look at it, Bruce, isn't it beautiful?" he pressed, gesturing towards the messy scrawls of notations. Bruce didn't understand most of it, but what he did comprehend was incredible.

"Wow, Tony," he murmured, duly impressed. "Are you going to owl your dad about it?" Tony's expression immediately shut down, and Bruce winced. Wrong question, apparently.

"No," Tony replied, shaking his head. "I'll compile my notes and send everything straight to the Department of Spellcraft and Patenting. They can patent it under my name, and that of Stark Industries, and then Howard can't take credit for my work like he does with every damn thing I make ever." The billionaire grinned mischievously. "Boy, he's gonna be _so_ mad. I can't wait." Bruce smiled slightly, feeling guilty for being happy for Tony getting one up over his dad. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, squeezing gently.

"That can wait," he pointed out. "You've finished, you've made the spell, you've tested it. Compiling and owling the Ministry can wait until you've had sleep. And a shower; you reek." Tony pouted, though his eyes were bright.

"Am I offending your poor wolfy sensibilities?" he asked playfully, and Bruce nodded emphatically.

"Yes. Now come on." With a wave of his wand, all of the parchment flew off the walls and into a neat stack, which Bruce gathered and slid into his satchel. A quick 'finite' made the engine lifeless once more, and Bruce led Tony from the room, the Stark heir automatically raising the wards he kept up when he wasn't in the room. "Let's get you back to the tower, then you can sleep after you've showered. Class is out, so you've got nothing to do until tomorrow."

"Oh yeah, classes," Tony murmured, as if the thought hadn't even occurred to him when he was locked up in his lab. "Bed does sound good, though. Have I missed much?"

"Not really, but I made class notes for you anyway," Bruce assured him, smiling. Tony grinned at him, briefly pressing his cheek to Bruce's shoulder as they walked.

"You're the best," he declared firmly. Bruce merely smiled, making sure Tony stayed walking in a straight line. They eventually reached Ravenclaw tower, and Bruce solved the entry riddle easily, nudging Tony through past the statue. The common room was fairly full, but everyone was now used to seeing Bruce dragging a zombified Tony through, so no one paid them much attention.

"Is he okay?" Jane called, concerned, and Bruce offered her a grin.

"He's fine, just needs sleep. I'll explain everything tomorrow; he's done something huge," he added, making her smile widely.

"Awesome. Goodnight, Bruce." With a wave over his shoulder, Bruce, urged Tony up the stairs to their dorm, laughing when the other boy collapsed face-first on his bed.

"Come on, you. Shower, now. You'll feel better," he insisted, poking Tony's shoulder. Tony groaned, but obeyed, heaving himself up and into the bathroom. Hearing the shower turn on, Bruce kicked off his shoes and smiled to himself, scrawling out a quick note to Professor Pym that he sent by spell, assuring him that Tony was fine and out of his lab.

Tony re-emerged wrapped in a towel with wet hair, and Bruce shoved pyjamas at him, nonplussed by his friend's nakedness. After sharing a dorm for two and a half years, you kinda got used to it. Now dressed and clean, Tony fell back into bed, and Bruce sighed in exasperation, moving to shift the genius under the covers properly. "Night, Bruce," Tony mumbled, already half-asleep. Bruce chuckled, smoothing down the damp curls on Tony's head. His hair was going to be ridiculous when he woke up in the morning.

"Night, Tony." Backing away but leaving the drapes open so he could keep an eye on his sleeping friend, Bruce grabbed his Charms book and parchment notebook, preparing to write his essay, glancing over at Tony every few minutes. He may be a genius, but he was pretty stupid when it came to listening to his body. Bruce wouldn't have him any other way.


	12. Y3: Personal Perfection

**_Title: _**_Personal Perfection_**_  
Summary: _**_Steve thinks Peggy is pretty damn perfect. Shame she doesn't feel the same way._**_  
Wordcount:_**_ 1084  
****__Pairing: __Onesided Steve/Peggy_**_  
Year: _**_Three_

* * *

In the opinion of Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter was perfect.

He didn't share this opinion with anyone else, of course — he knew it would only get him bullied and teased even more — but in his private thoughts, he marvelled over how such an incredible girl would actually want to be friends with him. He was nothing special; there were so many other guys she'd be better off spending her time with. The other Gryffindor girls laughed at her for hanging around with 'the shrimp', but she took no notice of them, and Steve kind-of loved her for it.

She'd come out of nowhere, in the beginning. He'd been sat alone in the corner of the common room doing homework, wishing Bucky hadn't decided to go hang out with that Hufflepuff in their year, Rhodey. Bucky was way better at Charms than he was. "Need some help?" He'd looked up at the voice, eyes going wide at the sight of the pretty brunette girl approaching him. She'd had a bright smile on her face, and sat down beside him without invitation. "You look confused, I was wondering if you need a hand?"

"Uh, it's fine, you don't have to," he'd stuttered. "I'll figure it out eventually." She'd laughed, reaching across to tug his textbook towards her.

"Oh, don't be silly; I'm happy to help. Charms is my best subject anyway. I'm Peggy, by the way; Peggy Carter." She'd held out a hand for him to shake, and he had, offering a tentative grin.

"Steve Rogers," he'd replied, and that had been that. Peggy had stayed and patiently explained the spell theory to him, even when her friends tried to call her over. Steve had been taken from the very start; she was fiercely intelligent, and witty, and didn't make him feel like a little kid.

After his homework was finished, he'd expected that to be the end of it, and for her to disappear from his life once more. He was surprised, however, when she'd asked if he wanted to join her and her friends for a while. Steve knew Peggy's friends — it was hard not to know Thor Odinson, he was so loud he could probably be heard all the way in Slytherin — but he didn't think he'd spoken to any of them but Sif, who was in his classes. Peggy wouldn't take no for an answer, and that's how Steve found himself hanging out with the group that were widely known as the coolest kids in Gryffindor's lower years.

Bucky hadn't believed him when he'd told his friend what had happened, and it had taken Peggy coming to sit with him at lunch for the taller boy to realise he was telling the truth. He'd been duly impressed, and Steve fiercely embarrassed as soon as he and Bucky were alone and the teasing began. He'd insisted there was nothing between them, but even at that point he'd known he was lying.

Their friendship continued, and by now it wasn't unusual for Steve to hang out with any of the older Gryffindors in the common room. He very rarely did so without Peggy there, though, feeling slightly awkward without the brunette girl around to buffer. In the meantime, Steve did everything he possibly could to impress her, though he tended to have… less than stellar results.

He wasn't handsome, he knew that. He wasn't even attractive in a quirky way, or pretty-boy attractive; he was scrawny, and pale, and looked like a hug would snap him. Peggy, on the other hand, was beautiful. Her hair was always perfect, she looked amazing even in the plain school uniform everyone else wore, and she always had a smile that lit up her whole face. Steve just wanted that smile to be given to him as much as possible; if that involved making a fool of himself to make her laugh, so be it. He'd tried playing quidditch, once; just a friendly game on a borrowed school broom with Bucky teaching him the basics. Peggy had joined in, and Steve had tried so hard to look good in front of her he'd ended up unconscious in the hospital wing. But hey, it had ended up with Peggy staying by his side until he woke up, so it wasn't all bad.

His grades weren't brilliant, though they weren't terrible. Peggy was in the top five in her class in every subject — which, when you took into consideration some of the people in her year, was impressive. His attempts to show her how smart he was usually ended up with her running circles around him and him left in the dust. He couldn't really think of much else; he didn't have any talents. Yeah, he could draw, but… he wasn't very good.

He sighed to himself, leaning back against the headboard and glancing down at his sketchpad, seeing Peggy's smile looking back at him. If he allowed himself, he'd sometimes imagine going home for the summer and having a huge growth spurt, coming back tall and muscular and attractive, and catching Peggy's eye. He knew that would be the only way to have her look at him like that. It wasn't likely, but a guy could dream. And he didn't mind just being friends, not really. She was great, and funny, and smart, and just generally fun to hang around with. He was sure his crush would fade with time; he was only twelve. Everyone else in his year and the year above seemed to be stuck on a different person every couple of weeks; he'd already lost count of the amount of girls Bucky had declared the 'love of his life'.

Speak of the devil; Steve looked up when the dorm room door swung open, and Bucky trudged in with his broom over his shoulder, sweaty from quidditch practice. He grinned at Steve, and his gaze grew knowing as he saw the drawing, bringing a faint flush to Steve's cheeks. "Again? Man, you have it bad for her! Why don't you just ask her out?" he asked, tossing his broom on the bed and sitting down to unlace his boots. Steve shook his head frantically, offering Bucky a small half-smile.

"Nah, you kidding me? Girl like her would never go for a guy like me," he said, chuckling slightly. Carefully adding some finishing touches to his drawing, he shut his sketchbook, sliding it back into his bedside drawer. He could deal with just being friends.


	13. Y4: Little Serpent

_**Title: **__Little Serpent__**  
Summary: **__Sif is used to the boys being overprotective, and is surprised when Fandral finally agrees to let her wander alone for a while. She doesn't stay alone for long, however, when she bumps into Loki. He's far less hostile to her than he is to the rest of their childhood friends._  
_**Wordcount: **__2346_  
_**Year: **__Four_

* * *

A lot of the time, Sif didn't mind being the only girl in their group when growing up. She could do things just as well as the boys could, if not better, and constantly set out to prove it. She could beat them at broom races and quidditch, even wrestling on a good day. She could run just as fast, climb trees just as high, and was smarter than all of those blockheads put together. Her parents were happy with her playing with the boys because she was 'safe' and 'protected' and she got to avoid having to play dolls and dress-up with all those other insipid little girls her father wished she'd associate with.

She just wished they weren't so bloody overprotective all the time; hadn't she shown she could handle herself? Even now they'd started Hogwarts — the boys a year older than her, to her annoyance. The year at home alone had been hell — the boys were ridiculously protective of her, never letting her walk without at least one of them by her side. Sif and the Warriors Three, they had been called since childhood, and the moniker was only growing more apt as they grew older. Thor, having Loki to deal with, wasn't quite as much of a part of their tight-knit group as the other three boys, but he was just as protective of her as Fandral, Volstagg and Hogun. It was infuriating! The only thing she appreciated about it was that it meant most of the girls tended to leave her alone, intimidated by her friends. She'd never been very good at making friends with girls.

That all began to change when they got older and the other girls started to appreciate the boys' looks rather than fear their height and build. Sif found herself the object of jealousy by several girls who had crushes on any of the four, and often had to stop people following their group while going about their business, girls trying to get the chance to talk to one of the boys — usually Thor or Fandral — or just stare at them longingly. Sif didn't understand it; they were the same stubborn, idiot boys they had been a year or two ago, why the sudden fuss? They weren't even that attractive, in her opinion. Sure, she could see the appeal of Thor and Fandral, but they were too… blonde for her. Volstagg, being a redhead, was equally fair, though a little too broad-shouldered for her tastes. He was built like a brick wall, even at the age of fourteen. Hogun was the only one she could really see as attractive, though in her mind he was still the eager little seven year-old who insisted he could beat her at a swimming race and nearly drowned in his determination to win.

She sighed to herself as she heard faint giggles from behind a bookshelf, knowing she had Fandral's fan club on her tail. They usually hung out in the library, waiting for the blonde boy to arrive. "Look, Fandral, I think I'm going to go for a walk," she declared, shutting her textbook. Her essay was almost finished anyway; she could do the conclusion back in the common room.

Fandral nodded, automatically closing his own books, despite only being halfway. "Of course; I shall accompany you." She rolled her eyes, flipping his book back open.

"No, you shan't; you still have an essay to finish. I'll be fine on my own. I'll even stay inside the castle, I promise," she added teasingly. He frowned, giving her an imploring look.

"But Sif, you know Volstagg will have my head if he finds out I let you wander about alone!" Sif resisted the urge to huff at his words; Volstagg could go hang.

"Then he doesn't have to know, does he?" she replied sweetly. "Please, Fandral. I need some space for ten minutes. I'll be back at Gryffindor before seven, I swear." It was six forty-five, so a fifteen minute walk would be plenty. Fandral bit his lip, then sighed, nodding and picking up his quill.

"Fifteen minutes," he told her. "Don't go outside, and stay in lit corridors. Be careful." She laughed, leaning down to peck his cheek mostly to annoy his fangirls hiding behind the shelves.

"Yes, mother," she teased, earning a swat to the shoulder. "I'll see you later, good luck with the rest of your essay." He gave her a wry smile as he looked at his open textbook with an expression of annoyance, and she packed away her things, shouldering her bag and leaving the library. Finally on her own, she walked aimlessly down the corridors, surprised at her own freedom. She had to admit, she could see where the boys were coming from; last time she'd walked around on her own, she'd been hexed by one of Hogun's fangirls who was jealous of her after being turned down by Hogun several times, assuming Sif was the reason. Still, she was more alert now. She'd be prepared for an attack if it came at her.

Despite having promised to be back at the tower by seven, Sif headed downwards when she reached the staircase, not quite willing to return to the common room quite so soon. The rest of the boys would be there, as well as half of the house, and she was enjoying the rare solitude. Smiling to herself, she didn't notice the other person in the corridor until he spoke. "Not trailing any shadows today, my lady?" She didn't tense, knowing there was only one person who spoke to her in such a way.

"Not today, Loki. Not for now, at least; I managed to persuade Fandral to stay in the library, and the others are back in Gryffindor Tower," she replied warmly. She didn't think to tell Loki that Thor was at a tutoring session with Jane Foster; she knew how much Loki disliked the brown-haired Ravenclaw that held his brother's affections. "What brings you out here, little serpent?" She hoped he wouldn't take offence to the childhood nickname, though had it been anyone but her, she doubted he'd be so placid. She walked closer to him, stopping when they were only a few feet apart, and his lips quirked in a small smile.

"Nothing but my thoughts, I'm afraid. I wasn't paying much attention to where I was walking. Not until I saw you, at least," he told her, hands in the pockets of his robes. It always surprised Sif how little Loki had changed since there were small children; he had always seemed far older than his years. He was, secretly, her favourite of the boys she had grown up with. He'd never treated her like she was inferior or incapable because she was a girl, and had always been polite to her, even when he was making Thor's life as miserable as he could. And she still hadn't forgotten the day Loki had found out he was adopted, and she'd found him crying his heart out in Thor's treehouse. He'd been eight, and she nine, and she hadn't known how to deal with Loki so very out of sorts.

"Then I hope your thoughts are faring you well," she replied, smiling. "I haven't seen you since term began, and you were quiet as a mouse all summer. Are you well?" He shrugged, tucking a lock of hair back behind his ear.

"I am as well as I always am, Lady Sif," he assured her wryly. It wasn't comforting. "And yourself?"

"As well as I can be with every footstep trailed by the four musketeers," she joked, making him chuckle. "I do love them, but they're rather stifling at times. It's nice to have the time to myself for a change."

"If I'm imposing, I can leave," Loki told her, already beginning to turn away, but she grabbed his shoulder gently to stop him, wishing he didn't flinch.

"You're never an imposition, little serpent. Though I fear the boys will go mad with worry if I'm not back to the tower soon. It will surely calm them if they were to know a valiant warrior walked me back, would it not?" she pointed out with a grin, offering an arm pointedly to the Slytherin. He hesitated, as he always did when she tried to joke around with him, but eventually looped his arm through hers, offering a tentative grin.

"I can't promise a valiant warrior, but I'm sure I can escort you back home safely. Shall we?" Sif smiled, falling easily into step beside the dark-haired boy.

"Thor misses you, you know," she told him conversationally. "He's so dreadfully confused about what he's done to offend you. He only wants you to love him as a brother." Loki's face hardened, and his lips curled into a sneer.

"Yes, well, we can't always have what we want, can we?" he retorted. "Please, Lady Sif… can we not talk about Thor?" She sighed, but nodded.

"If you wish. Though I remind you, Loki, you cannot avoid him forever." He chuckled, though there was no humour in the sound.

"That may be true, but I can at least try," he pointed out, pausing before giving her a faintly amused look. "I'll admit, I've never understood why you put up with him. He's hardly stimulating company." She shrugged, hitching her bag further up her shoulder.

"He's stimulating company enough. Intelligence isn't everything, and Thor can be fairly insightful when the mood strikes him. You just have to give him a chance and wait a little time for the thoughts to form," she added playfully, drawing a laugh from her younger companion.

"Yes, well, patience is one thing I lack when it comes to Thor," he replied dryly. Sif merely hummed, hiding her smile; she knew how much Loki truly loved Thor, he couldn't hide it from her. She'd held him while he'd cried about the possibility of Thor not loving him because they weren't blood related.

They stopped outside the portrait to Gryffindor Tower, and Loki slipped his arm from hers, offering a short bow. "I believe my escorting duties have been completed," he told her, his tone reminding her of when they were younger and she'd been able to drag all of the boys into a make-believe game in which they were lords and ladies, and mighty warriors slaying beasts from far off lands to save their people.

"My thanks to you, little serpent," she replied, leaning in to kiss his cheek, grinning when he didn't push her away. She had to catch him in a very good mood for him to allow her to get so close. His cheeks were faintly pink, and his green eyes darted up and down the corridor to check if anyone had seen. "You'd better get back down to the dungeons before curfew," she added, glancing at her watch. She didn't want the Gryffindors to start coming back to the tower for the night and find a Slytherin in 'their' territory. While most would leave him alone, there were some who wouldn't be quite so courteous.

"Indeed," he agreed, stepping back. "Goodnight, my lady."

"Goodnight, little serpent. May it not be such a long time before we next speak," she added with a pointed look, drawing a sheepish expression to his face. "I understand not wanting to talk to the boys, but please stop avoiding me."

"I… I shall try, Lady Sif, but when the boys are constantly by your side, it's difficult," he reasoned. She grinned impishly, smoothing down her cardigan.

"Then I shall have to endeavour to escape them more often," she replied innocently, making him smirk faintly. She turned to the portrait, offering a smile to the Fat Lady. "Dignitas ab virtus," she said clearly, not caring that Loki was close enough to hear her. She doubted he'd abuse the knowledge of the password. The Fat Lady swung open, and Sif turned back to give Loki a grin. He nodded in reply, already turning to leave, and she slipped inside the common room, wincing at Volstagg's exclamation upon seeing her.

"There you are, Sif!" he cried, rushing over to her. Fandral was already there, an annoyed expression on his face. Guilt churned in her stomach when she imagined the yelling Volstagg must have done when Fandral had returned to Gryffindor alone. "Where on earth have you been? You shouldn't have been wandering about on your own!" She rolled her eyes, huffing.

"I was perfectly fine, thank you, Volstagg. This is a school, not a battlefield or a marketplace. I'm hardly likely to get killed or kidnapped," she pointed out shortly. "Besides, I wasn't alone for most of my walk. I was with Loki, he escorted me back to the tower." Volstagg's eyebrows rose, and Thor gained an eager expression upon hearing her words as she moved to join them by the fireplace.

"You were with my brother? How is he?" he asked, and Sif held back her sad smile. Thor yearned for Loki's love so much it was painful to watch sometimes.

"He is well, so he says. And he did seem fine; fairly cheerful by his standards, to be honest," she assured, watching Thor's smile brighten. She took the seat next to Fandral, who scowled at her.

"Back by seven, hmm?" he said pointedly, glancing at the clock which clearly read seven ten. She smiled sweetly, setting her bag down on the floor.

"Fandral, my dear, you should know better by now than to believe me about things like that," she returned. He stared at her for several moments, then chuckled, shaking his head.

"I'll let you off this time, as you were with Loki. But next time, when you say back by seven, I expect you to uphold your promise," he added sternly, making her roll her eyes even as she agreed. It was the least she could do, really; they only meant well. Even if they were a little overbearing at times.


	14. Y4: Can't Catch a Break

**_Title: _**_Can't Catch a Break_**_  
Summary: _**_Once again, Steve finds himself attracted to someone who could never like him back. Except this time it's worse, because that someone is his male best friend._**_  
Wordcount: _**_2642  
_**_Pairing: _**_Onesided Steve/Bucky_**_  
Year: _**_Four_

* * *

Steve wasn't used to feeling like this. Sure, he'd had his fair share of _those_ kind of dreams ever since puberty had really started, but he'd never had them so often, or constantly about the same person. And he'd never had the feelings during waking hours, either.

He'd been looking forward to the summer after his third year at Hogwarts; he and Bucky had all sorts of plans, and he couldn't wait to spend time with just Bucky, like they used to before Hogwarts. Sure, he saw Bucky a lot at school, but… he was on the quidditch team, and popular, and had more people to split his time between than just Steve. And Steve sort-of had friends, too; he had Peggy, and Thor, and Sif and the three boys. But summer meant one thing and one thing only; him and Bucky hanging out for a whole eight weeks.

That would have been great, had Steve's damn hormones not decided to flare their head. He hadn't even noticed it happening until he'd been swimming with Bucky and the sight of his friend in nothing but swim shorts had made him feel all funny in the pit of his stomach. It was a feeling that he was becoming increasingly familiar with as he got older, but he'd never had it happen with one of his friends before. It hadn't even happened with Peggy! He'd turned away and ducked under the water before Bucky could notice the tenting in his shorts, cheeks bright red and practically hyperventilating with panic. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't be getting attracted to _Bucky_ of all people! He was his best friend!

Figuring it was just puberty messing him up, Steve ignored it… until it happened again when they were changing for bed during a sleepover at Bucky's house. Even at the age of thirteen, Bucky was tall and as well-muscled as any fifteen or sixteen year-old, and Steve definitely noticed. He'd waited until he got home to have the whole 'oh sweet Merlin I'm attracted to guys' freak-out, which involved locking himself in the bathroom for three hours and having a minor panic attack and trying not to cry. By the end of the three hours, he knew two things; one, he was definitely attracted to guys; two, he could _not_ let Bucky find out. He'd had lots of practice pushing feelings away when he'd had that crush on Peggy, but this was just so very different; there hadn't been any physical signs of his feelings for Peggy. That was definitely not the case with Bucky.

Steve was just glad that it was already halfway through the summer; he could last four weeks, and then they'd be back at Hogwarts, and hopefully his attention would shift to someone else. Thor, maybe; he was attractive, and definitely safe, with his ridiculously huge crush on Jane Foster. And even if he did notice, he probably wouldn't be offended or freaked out. It took a lot to freak out Thor.

Or maybe he'd even find a girl who would inspire those feelings in him. At least then people wouldn't think him weird for it. Crushing on girls was totally normal and not-weird and then he could talk to Bucky about it without worrying his friend would disown him. That was the problem with only having one close male friend; when things _involved_ that one male friend, he didn't really have anyone to go to. That might change when he got back to Hogwarts; there had to be someone who wouldn't judge him for what he was feeling. Thor, maybe, or even Tony. The rumours about him and Bruce Banner were all over the place, so he doubted Tony had a problem with that sort of thing. All Steve had to do was make sure Bucky didn't find out for the next four weeks.

.-.

Their first week back at Hogwarts, and Steve's secret was still safe. Bucky had absolutely no idea about the thoughts his best friend was having about him, and Steve was sure he could get over it now he was surrounded by others. Still, he was driving himself insane trying to keep it to himself; he had to tell _someone_. And that's how he found himself practically stalking Tony Stark to try and get him alone for five minutes. Not his finest moment, Steve would admit.

It took him a week before he finally found Tony in the library on his own, though Steve didn't know why Bruce wasn't around. Usually the quiet Ravenclaw boy practically lived in the library, especially when Tony was there. Steve wasn't going to complain, though. He slid into the chair opposite the Stark heir, clearing his throat to get the older boy to look up. "Well hello there, blondie. Aren't you lions like, allergic to libraries or something?" Steve rolled his eyes, nerves twisting in his stomach.

"Can I, uh, talk to you? Privately," he asked, biting his lip. Tony's eyes darkened in concern, his expression growing serious.

"Yeah, sure. Come on." Instead of leading Steve out of the library like he'd expected, Tony led him deeper, to a dusty corner that looked like it hadn't been visited in decades. Tony waved his wand, muttering privacy charms and turning to Steve with a smile. "No one ever comes back here, and even if they did, they're not getting through those wards. So what's the problem?" Steve swallowed anxiously, leaning back against a dusty shelf.

"I, uh, oh Merlin this is hard." Tony reached over, squeezing his hand briefly.

"I can guarantee that whatever it is you need to tell me, I have heard worse. Go for it, soldier." Steve blinked at the nickname; only Bucky had called him that before. Thinking his friend's name reminded him of his problem, and Steve felt his cheeks turn bright red.

"IhavefeelingsforBucky," he blurted out, the words all mashing together as he tripped over his tongue to get them out. Tony blinked, processing the word-vomit.

"Is that it?" he asked blankly, eyebrows raised. "Wow, I thought you'd like, killed a guy or something. So you have a crush on your friend, big deal. He's hot, it's understandable." Steve squeaked in alarm, feeling himself go even redder.

"Of course it's a big deal! He's… Bucky, and he's a guy," Steve whispered, feeling ashamed for just admitting it. Tony's frown returned, and he leaned closer, taking Steve's hand once more.

"Steve, there's nothing wrong with liking guys. Sure, some people are assholes who say it's wrong, but they don't have two brain cells to rub together. You like who you like; guys, girls, it doesn't matter. And never, ever let anyone tell you that it does, okay?" His eyes bored into Steve's, and the blonde swallowed reflexively.

But-"

"No buts," Tony said, cutting him off. "Unless they're the naked kind. Anyone who tells you you're not allowed to like people because they're the same gender as you is not someone you want to model your life choices on. You like Bucky? Great. You jump on that boy and climb him like a tree. Someone has a problem with it, you send them my way." Steve didn't think it was possible for him to blush any more than he was without his head exploding, but the words 'climb him like a tree' echoed around his head, complete with mental image.

"But what if Bucky _is_ one of those people who has a problem with it?" he asked, voice barely louder than a whisper as he voiced his biggest fear. What if Bucky found out and hated him for it?

"Then he's not worth your time," Tony replied instantly. "But I don't think he will be. I may not get on with him too great, but he's not a total jerkface. Even if he doesn't feel the same way, I'm sure he'll let you down gently." Steve let out a long, shaky breath. He could handle being let down gently. He didn't think he could handle Bucky hating him forever. "C'mon, Steve; you're a Gryffindor, aren't you? Be brave. Tell him." Steve sighed, shrugging.

"I'll think about it. But, uh, thanks. For telling me it's okay."

"It is okay," Tony replied simply. "I'm going to hug you now, because you look like you need a hug and Bruce says it's rude not to hug people when they look like they need it." Steve laughed, arms slipping around Tony's waist as the genius enveloped him in a tight hug. "You like whoever the hell you wanna like, and don't let anyone give you shit for it. I'll kick their asses if they do, just you watch."

"Thanks, Tony. Knew I could count on you." Steve was embarrassed to feel a slight lump in his throat, and resolutely swallowed it back.

"Why did you ask me, anyway? I mean, surely there are other people you could've gone to about it?" Tony queried, sounding perplexed. Steve shrugged, head resting on Tony's chest.

"I just figured you'd be the least likely to judge me. You're, y'know… you," he finished lamely, not sure how to explain it. Tony snorted.

"Yes, funnily enough, I am me. But I am also very non-judge-y. Because that's totally a word and everything." Tony paused, shifting slightly. "How long do these hugs usually last? 'Cause, I mean, this has gone past pleasant and is verging on uncomfortably awkward." Steve flushed, pulling back, and Tony offered him a grin. "You cool now?" he checked, the concern genuine despite his teasing tone. Steve nodded, giving a small smile, and Tony's grin widened. "Cool. Good luck with the whole Bucky situation, and if you need anymore worldly advice you just call me. Wait, do you have a phone?" Steve shook his head; while the new Starkphones were now magic-safe, he couldn't afford one. "I'll get you one. On me, it's no big deal." Steve opened his mouth to argue, but Tony stuck a hand over it before he could say anything. "Steve, I literally make Starkphones for fun. It's not a problem; I have like, ten in my room. I need to get rid of them, you're doing me a favour. I'll give it to you tomorrow, or have Pepper drop it off with you, or something. Do not argue with me." Steve sighed, though he was smiling.

"Sure, Tony. I'll take the phone," he relented, and the Ravenclaw smirked smugly.

"Excellent. Now it's like, ten minutes until dinner, and Bruce will kill me if I skip dinner while he's not around, so let's go." Tony's arm slung around Steve's shoulders, and Steve smiled slightly, feeling like a weight had been lifted off his chest. Maybe he would actually tell Bucky.

.-.-.

It turned out he didn't need to tell Bucky himself. Apparently, he was pretty damn obvious.

"Hey, Steve?" Bucky called, looking up from his bed in their shared room.

"Yeah, what is it Buck?" Steve asked, used to how his stomach fluttered when the other boy's eyes were on him.

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?" Bucky's tone was casual, though there was a slight smirk tugging at his lips. Steve froze, eyes going wide.

"Uh, no, I didn't know that. I say anything good?" he asked, trying and failing to mimic his friend's conversational tone. Bucky's smirk widened.

"Well, I don't know if it's good, but you certainly seem to be having fun," he retorted knowingly, and Steve felt his cheeks heat rapidly. "And the funny thing is, my name seems to come up a _lot_. It's not the only thing coming up, either." Steve ducked his head, heartbeat racing and breathing growing quicker.

"Bucky, I can explain," he began, panicked. Bucky winked at him, looking amused.

"I'd say it's pretty self-explanatory," he pointed out. Steve groaned, fingers tugging at his hair.

"I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen, I don't know how to stop it, I get if you want me to switch dorms or something. I'm really sorry, Buck," he babbled frantically, not noticing when Bucky hopped off his own bed and crawled onto Steve's, wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulders.

"Whoa, hey, Steve, chill. I was just teasing," he insisted, squeezing briefly. "I get that you have no control over it; no one can control that. And hey, I'm really flattered and all, but… I just don't swing that way, soldier." He sounded genuinely apologetic, and Steve tried to calm his breathing enough to look his friend in the eye without wanting to puke.

"I know, I know, I wasn't expecting you to. I'll get over it soon, I promise." Bucky chuckled, cheek pressing briefly to Steve's hair.

"Oh no, you go on right ahead; good for a guy's ego, y'know?" he joked, and Steve instinctively elbowed him in the gut with a snort.

"Jerk," he muttered, smiling.

"You know it," Bucky replied proudly. "Seriously, Steve; I don't mind. I'm sorry I can't feel the same, and I hope next time you like someone it's someone who can like you back. Guy or girl." Steve looked up, eyes wide, and Bucky grinned at him. "You think I'd care about a stupid thing like that? Man, I'll be so damn proud if you actually get a date, I don't care if they're a freaking centaur." Steve grimaced at the thought, making Bucky laugh.

"I think I'll pass on the centaurs," the blonde assured. "And don't be sorry; I don't blame you for not feeling the same. I mean, who'd want a scrawny little kid like me, anyway?" he mused with a wry chuckle. Bucky frowned, giving Steve a disapproving stare.

"You know I hate when you put yourself down. Plenty of people would want you; you're funny, and honest, and ridiculously caring, and some people find the whole scrawny thing cute. Don't knock yourself out before you've even started the game, soldier," he urged, forehead almost pressed to Steve's. The smaller boy didn't know what came over him; one minute he was just sat there staring at Bucky, the next he felt himself leaning in to kiss his friend. Bucky pushed him back, shaking his head. "You don't wanna do that, Steve."

"Shit, right, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I shouldn't have-" he trailed off, trying to escape from Bucky's embrace, but the other boy was stronger and wouldn't let him.

"I didn't mean it like that," Bucky insisted. "But Steve, look; this crush on me? It'll pass. You'll find someone else, someone who actually likes you back, and you'll laugh when you remember how you used to like me like that. Save your first kiss for that person, yeah? I don't deserve it; it should go to someone you really care about." Steve sighed, slumping against Bucky's chest. He had to admit, his friend had a point. He just hoped his feelings passed sooner rather than later.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Look, Buck, I think I'm just gonna go to bed," he started, and Bucky nodded, releasing him.

"Sure thing." He got off the bed, looking Steve in the eye. "I love you, man. No matter what. But… not in that way." Steve nodded, unsure how to reply, and Bucky went back to his own bed. Steve pulled the drapes, settling back against his pillow and letting out a long breath. Part of him wanted to cry, but a bigger part of him was just relieved. Bucky was right; his crush would fade, and he'd find someone else, and they'd be fine. But at least now he knew that if that someone else happened to be a guy, Bucky was still right there behind him one hundred percent. And that was far more important than any kiss could ever be.


	15. Y4: Attention

**_Title: _**_Attention_**_  
Summary: _**_Clint wants nothing more than to get Coulson to notice he exists. Natasha recruits help, which turns out to be completely unnecessary; Clint had Coulson's attention from the start._**_  
Wordcount: _**_3057_**_  
Pairing: _**_Clint/Coulson_**_  
Year: _**_Four_

* * *

Clint sighed as he tried to stare without being noticed, eyes peeking over the top of his book at the occupied armchair in the corner. Coulson seemed fully engrossed in his homework, bottom lip between his teeth as he scribbled furiously, an intense look of concentration on his face. Clint wanted to swoon.

The monster crush on Coulson had crept up on Clint so slowly he'd barely noticed. It had probably started the day Coulson had found him in the rafters and frog-marched him down to the kitchens to make sure he ate enough dinner. Since then, they hadn't really talked or anything, but Coulson would smirk at him when they passed each other in the corridors, and every now and then Clint noticed the older boy coming to the owlery without a letter, merely to check Clint was okay. Clint had found himself appreciating the little moments, missing Coulson when summer had come and he no longer saw the other Hufflepuff on a regular basis. The first time he'd dreamt about kissing Coulson had come out of nowhere with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, and had become almost a nightly thing in several variations. Clint had spent most of the summer trying to think of anything to get his mind off Coulson, hooking up with a couple of girls and guys who came to see the circus act, but he never got very far. He chickened out fairly early, or murmured the wrong name and got a slap in the face. Then he'd come back for his third year, and Coulson had given him that smirk-smile, and Clint knew he was screwed.

He didn't expect his infatuation — for that was definitely what it was — would actually get anywhere, what with Coulson being older and smarter and better looking and generally way out of his league, but he could still live in hope. The urge to show off was almost overwhelming, but Clint shoved it aside, knowing nothing he could do would get Coulson's attention. He was a troublemaker of average intelligence and similar magical ability; Coulson was beating Ravenclaws in exams in every one of his classes, had never had a detention, and casually used wordless magic despite only being a fourth year. The only impressive thing about Clint was his aim and his flexibility, and he couldn't see a situation in which that would grab Coulson's attention.

Letting out another sigh, Clint gave up on pretending to read and set his book aside, doing an unnecessary backwards roll to get smoothly onto his feet. Natasha was usually pretty good at cheering him up after he got in one of his 'Coulson moods', as his redheaded friend liked to call them. He didn't complain, and wisely didn't mention the moon-eyes Tasha got whenever she saw Pepper Potts around the halls. Not when he knew how many knives she kept on her person. Slipping out of the common room, Clint took to the side-halls and secret passages almost on instinct, not wanting to catch the evening rush of students getting back before curfew. He smiled to himself as he crawled into the air vent that would lead him to the Slytherin common room; he'd found it the first week of the school year, but hadn't had the chance to surprise Tasha with it. He was in the mood for getting one-up on the Slytherin girl.

Commando-crawling through the narrow stone tunnel, Clint smiled when he saw through the grate just above the corner of the common room. He could see Natasha sat on a black leather couch with a book on her lap, only a few feet from where the vent came out. With a whispered spell, the grate came loose, and Clint dropped down into the common room with ease. Several people looked up in alarm, but most of them seemed to relax when they aw it was him. Most people in the school were used to Clint Barton popping out of nowhere by now. "How the hell did you even get in here?" Natasha asked, not looking up from her book. Clint threw himself down on the other end of the couch, stretching out.

"Air vent," he replied simply. Her brow furrowed.

"I didn't think we had air vents," she mused, making him grin.

"You're several floors below ground, of course you have air vents. You busy?" he asked, glancing at her book. She shook her head, bookmarking her place and setting the text aside, and with a quick wave of her wand a privacy spell had been erected.

"What's the problem?" she asked, and he huffed, pulling a practice snitch from his pocket and letting it float around his head, catching it occasionally when it looked to be making a break for it.

"I wanna get Coulson to notice me," he whined, hating how much he sounded like a girl. "How the hell do I do that, Nat?" She sighed, reaching over to squeeze his calf gently.

"I was waiting for you to ask me that. Come on, I have a plan." She pulled Clint to his feet, and the rest of the common room went back to whatever they were doing as the two third years slipped from the room.

"Will I like this plan?" Clint asked dubiously, making Natasha grin.

"Probably not, but it's foolproof," she insisted, practically jogging. Clint followed obediently, trying to figure out where they were going. His eyebrows rose when they came to a halt outside the Ravenclaw common room, and Nat knocked sharply on the statue guardian's right shoulder six times in quick succession. Confused, Clint opened his mouth, only to close it again when the statue moved aside and a girl Clint vaguely recognised but couldn't place the name of stuck her head out.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely, and Natasha offered her a smile.

"Hi, Jane. Is Tony around? We have a problem that needs his expertise," she explained. Jane nodded, glancing back over her shoulder.

"Hey, Tony! Romanoff and Barton need your help with something!" she called. There was a pause, before Tony Stark appeared at Jane's side.

"Well, well, what can I do for you two? Bruce is coming, by the way," he added, leaving the common room and dragging Bruce Banner along by the hand. Clint scowled; he didn't know how he felt about Stark and Banner knowing about his crush. But he trusted Tasha, so he'd see what she had planned.

"Perfect. Come on, we need a little privacy," Natasha urged, directing them to an empty classroom.

"So, what's the problem?" Tony queried, hopping up onto the desk. "In need of a potion? Spell research? Need the student files hacked?"

"Tony!" Bruce scolded, making Tony roll his eyes.

"Come on, sugarlips, what's the good in Hogwarts finally switching over to tech if I can't hack them? I _invented_ that damn technology!" he exclaimed. Natasha coughed, drawing attention back to her and Clint.

"Nothing quite so complicated," she assured. "Clint needs to nerd up." Clint's eyes went wide, and he turned to his best friend.

"_That's_ your master plan? You're right, I don't like it," he told her, annoyed. He didn't want to have to hit the books, and he doubted he'd ever get smart enough for Coulson to notice him.

"And why does baby hawk here need booksmarts?" Tony queried, looking perplexed. Clint glared at Natasha, his cheeks already going red.

"He wants Coulson to notice him," the redhead said plainly. Tony's jaw dropped.

"Coulson? Seriously? You wanna put your stick up the ass of Mr Stick-Up-His-Ass?"

"Don't call him that," Clint snapped, turning his glare on Tony. "And don't phrase it that way. I just… I just want him to know I exist," he confessed pathetically.

"We can help," Bruce assured softly, offering Clint a small smile before Tony could interrupt with any more snide remarks. "But you have to be willing to put the effort in."

"I will," Clint promised. "If you think it'll work." And even if it didn't, it was worth a shot.

"I'm sure it will," Tony said optimistically. "Having spent three and a half years in classes with dear old Phil, I can tell you nothing gets that little badger brain of his hornier than a perfect score on a test. If you want him to notice you, studying is probably the best way to go. Unless, of course, you want to go down the teasing and seduction route, in which case I can also help out." Clint flushed at the thought of attempting to seduce Coulson; he'd probably only make an ass of himself.

"Uh, no thanks. Studying works," he assured quickly. Tony smirked, but pulled a small PDA from his pocket. The little devices were becoming ever more popular since Stark Industries had started mass-producing over the summer, though Clint didn't doubt Tony's was far more complicated than any of the ones circulating the student population.

"Pepper should still have all my third year notes archived somewhere; I'll have her send you them. And I can do a study session tomorrow after dinner until eight," the billionaire offered. Clint nodded; he never had anything planned after dinner, especially not on Thursdays. Tony tapped at his screen a few times, then looked up with a grin. "Perfect, I'll meet you in the library at six then."

"We'll meet you in the library," Bruce corrected, shooting Tony a sideways look before smiling at Clint. "I wouldn't trust him on his own if I were you."

"Honeybear, you wound me," Tony pouted, though Bruce merely rolled his eyes.

"Awesome. Uh, thanks, guys," Clint added somewhat awkwardly. "I really appreciate this." Tony grinned, jumping off the desk to come and ruffle Clint's hair.

"Not a problem, baby hawk. I'm all for spreading the love, even if it does involve Captain Uptight. And who knows; maybe getting a little love could get him to loosen up some," he added with a leer, turning Clint's cheeks bright red. He was already regretting his decision to accept their help.

.-.-.

Study sessions led by Tony Stark were, in one word, hard. Clint could barely make heads nor tails of the notes Pepper had given him, and even when Tony had attempted to explain them, it had only ended up with the genius getting frustrated because Clint just _didn't understand_. Bruce helped a lot, being able to put things in terms Clint was familiar with, but it was still tough going. His grades were rocketing, and Clint was surprised at just how high he could achieve when he actually put the effort in. Still, Coulson didn't seem to notice him. Clint wondered what higher power he'd pissed off in order to deserve having the guy he was head over heels for be barely aware of his existence.

He stopped hanging out at the owlery, spending more and more of his free time in the library, either on his own or with Bruce, Tony or Pepper. Even Natasha helped out some; she was brilliant at Defence Against the Dark Arts, and pretty decent at Runes and Charms. Pepper was the only one willing to go through History of Magic with him; the rest of his little study group had written it off as too torturous to even consider. Another upside of their deal was Clint getting to hang out more with the kids in the year above. Other than Natasha, he was kind-of a loner in his year. Even Rhodey, who had been his roommate for over two years, didn't really speak to him until he started joining in on their little study sessions on Tony's insistence. It ended up becoming a huge operation, with Tony and Bruce roping Jane into their efforts, which then brought Thor trailing along like a large puppy. Clint liked the big blonde guy a lot, and he was the one person in the group who didn't make him feel like an idiot. Jane brought Darcy along sometimes too, claiming it would be good for her to get a head start on the third year work. Darcy just wanted the opportunity to hang around with hot older guys. Clint didn't mind; he'd seen the other Hufflepuff around the common room, and heard of her legendary taser spell, but hadn't spoken to her. She was hilarious, with a sense of humour very similar to Clint's own.

Clint was still hopelessly awkward around Coulson, though, despite Tony taking it upon himself to add 'flirting' to the list of topics they needed to cover. Clint repeatedly pointed out that in order to flirt with the older Hufflepuff, he'd have to _talk_ to him first, and that just didn't happen. Tony very nearly declared him a lost cause, before Pepper took over with a far less blatant approach that sat a lot better with Clint. Not that he put any of it into practice.

Their study sessions had been happening regularly for a little over three weeks, with no results. Not the ones Clint wanted, at least; his teachers had never been happier. It was a Friday, which meant Tony and Bruce were doing their Science Bros thing, and everyone else had declared it a night off. Except Clint, of course. He was sat in the Hufflepuff common room well past curfew, the only one still around and several books spread open on the table in front of him, a long roll of parchment already covered in his chicken-scratch handwriting. He'd hit a mental block, and it was giving him a headache.

"You look like you could use some help with that." Clint jumped at the noise, head snapping up. His cheeks immediately flooded with heat; Coulson was leaning in the doorway to the boys' dorms, dressed in loose jeans and a white t-shirt that was _very_ flattering on him. He was barefoot, and his hair was slightly mussed, making Clint wonder if he'd just woken up. "It's nearly midnight, what are you still doing up?"

"Just finishing off these notes, but… I just don't get this part," Clint admitted somewhat reluctantly. Coulson pushed off the doorframe and wandered over, leaning over Clint's shoulder with one hand on the desk. Clint could smell the older boy's cologne, and his skin began to tingle.

"I'm not surprised; this is fourth year stuff," Coulson pointed out. Clint shrugged, trying to put a little distance between them.

"I, uh, just wanted to get ahead, y'know?" he explained feebly. Coulson straightened up, folding his arms over his chest.

"Wanna try that again?" he offered, making Clint sigh. Coulson's lips twitched in a slight smile, and he met Clint's gaze evenly. "According to the rumour mill — which we both know can be horribly inaccurate — you're bumping your grades up to try and get my attention." Clint swallowed, his mouth going dry. How the hell had that gotten out? Everyone in their little study group had been sworn to secrecy! "Any truth to that?"

"There, uh, might be," Clint stuttered, not seeing any point in denying it. Coulson wouldn't be asking unless he knew the answer.

"I have to say, that's the strangest way anyone's ever tried to tell me they like me," the older teen mused, voice not giving anything away. Clint could feel his pulse racing, and automatically started looking around for escape routes. "I'm flattered. Though I figured you were more observant than that."

"What do you mean?" Clint asked softly, confused. Coulson's smile widened slightly.

"Just because you didn't notice me giving it to you, doesn't mean you haven't had my attention," he informed the younger Hufflepuff. Clint's eyes widened. "I've been worried about you, y'know. Haven't found you up in the owlery for weeks now."

"I was studying," Clint replied automatically. Coulson nodded a fraction.

"I noticed. I'm very impressed with your dedication, though you really shouldn't stress yourself out over it. You've had my attention for a long time, Clint Barton. I'm just more subtle than you are." There was something in his smile that told Clint he _knew_, and the Archer hung his head, tugging at his fringe.

"You noticed me staring, huh?" he presumed wryly.

"I notice everything," Coulson told him. Clint sighed, jolting when a hand rested on his shoulder. "Stop looking like I kicked your puppy, Hawkeye. You're more dense than I thought you were." Coulson's grip tightened, and he pulled Clint up out of his chair. They were almost nose-to-nose, Coulson a few inches taller than Clint. "You wanted me to notice you," he murmured. "Yet you didn't notice when I was. I'm taking a different approach." Before Clint could say anything, Coulson's lips pressed against his, and he froze in shock. It took him a couple of moments to start kissing back, but he melted when Coulson's hand pressed gently against the back of his neck, his other arm winding around the third year's waist. Clint could hardly believe it; _he was kissing Phil Coulson_. And damn, the guy could kiss.

He was breathless when they parted, and resisted the urge to pinch himself. "_Why?_" he breathed, bewildered. Why the hell would Coulson go for a little brat like him? Coulson smirked lightly, hold on Clint still firm.

"You're interesting, Barton. I like that." Clint tried valiantly not to gape, wondering how on Earth Coulson could find him interesting.

"Call me Clint," he insisted instead, making Coulson smirk.

"Only if you call me Phil." He leaned in, pressing another short kiss to Clint's lips. "Now, if I were you, I'd give up on that work and go to bed. You're coming to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow, you'll need your sleep. Also, you might want to hex Stark in some very uncomfortable places; he's been teasing me for having a crush on you since last year," he admitted. Clint blinked, then scowled.

"He made me go through all that when he _knew_ you liked me? Bastard, I'll kill him!" he exclaimed, and Coulson chuckled.

"Kill him on Sunday; tomorrow, Hogsmeade, I'll meet you here at ten. Dress pretty," he added teasingly, and Clint automatically jabbed him in the gut, impressed at the boy's rock-solid abs. Yeah, killing Stark could totally wait a day or two.

"It's a date."


	16. Y4: Best Served Cold

**_Title: _**_Best Served Cold_**_  
Summary: _**_After two weeks of keeping Tony on edge, Clint gets his revenge, and Steve gets to return a favour._**_  
Wordcount: _**_1412_**_  
Year: _**_Four_

* * *

Clint smirked to himself as he watched Tony Stark walking alone through the corridors, babbling a mile a minute to his PDA. JARVIS, he liked to call it. Clint thought it stood for something, but couldn't quite remember what. More importantly, there was no one else in sight. Smirk widening, Clint swung to the next rafter as silent as a shadow, and pulled his wand from his wrist holster. "Caw caw, mugglefucker."

.-.-.

"Hello? Is anybody there? Bruce! Pepper! Rhodey, anybody!?" Tony was starting to get a headache, and he couldn't completely feel his feet anymore. He was going to murder Barton. It had to be him; no one else would have tarred and feathered him, then hung him from the rafters in a little-used corridor. Stupid bird-brain. "Seriously, is anyone there? Barton, this isn't funny anymore! Get me down from here you asshole!" No response. Tony sighed; he would've been perfectly capable of getting himself down, but Clint had tied his hands behind his back. "Goddamn it, Barton!"

"Need some help there?" He looked down, letting out a relieved noise when he saw Steve Rogers stood at the end of the corridor, eyeing him perplexedly.

"Steve! Thank Merlin you're here! Long story short, Clint Barton's a jerk, and could you please pretty please get me down?" Steve's blonde eyebrows shot up, and he rushed closer.

"Tony? Is that you? Merlin, what happened?" he asked, eyes wide as he stared at Tony.

"Like I said, Barton's a jerk. Now, not to rush you or anything, blondie, but… I can't feel my feet, and I'd quite like to get down now." Steve nodded, fumbling for his wand and aiming a hasty 'finite incantatem' at Tony. Which, of course, meant that his return to the ground was swifter and more painful than he'd hoped. But at least he wasn't covered in as many feathers as before. "Ow," he groaned, and Steve lurched forward to help him to his feet.

"Oh, hell, I am so sorry, I didn't mean for it to be that abrupt, I'm sorry," he stuttered, and Tony offered him a slightly pained smile, rolling his shoulders with a crack.

"It's fine, you did what I asked," he pointed out. Turning around, he thrust his still-tied hands towards the younger boy. "Untie me, please?" Steve smirked, giving him a look.

"What, you don't like being tied up?" Tony gaped, shocked. Had that innuendo really just come out of the mouth of innocent, wholesome Steve Rogers?

"I don't know who's been corrupting you, but I like it," he declared, making Steve laugh as he set to work on the ropes binding Tony's wrists.

"No one's been corrupting me. I just picked up a few things from being around, y'know?" He let the rope fall to the floor, and Tony stretched out his arms with a groan of pleasure. "How did you end up there, anyway?" Steve queried, gesturing to the ceiling. Tony scowled, brushing sticky feathers off his arms and torso.

"Barton clearly getting back at me for the whole Coulson thing," he muttered darkly. "This means war."

"Coulson thing?" Steve queried bemusedly, helping Tony pluck feathers off his clothes.

"Clint wanted my help getting Coulson to notice him, so I made him study all the time even though I knew Coulson had a crush on him anyway. Clint wasn't too pleased when he found out. But hey, everything worked out okay in the end, right?" Their Hogsmeade date had gone fantastically, apparently, and the pair already acted like they'd been dating for years as opposed to two weeks. Tony had known Clint's revenge was coming eventually.

Steve shook his head, looking perplexed. "Man, everyone in your year is crazy," he remarked, making Tony smirk.

"I resent that. Barton's in yours," he pointed out. Steve shrugged, vanishing the pile of feathers on the floor.

"He's still crazy." Tony snorted, not arguing, and glanced down at himself in disgust.

"Ugh, my clothes are ruined," he muttered, irritated.

"Y'know, I still haven't heard a thank you," Steve reminded, making Tony look up. He smiled, seeing the faint grin at Steve's lips.

"Thank you, my dashing prince, for saving me from an awful feathery fate," Tony deadpanned. Steve snickered, grin widening.

"Well, I've been waiting for the chance to return the favour, so you're very welcome, fair princess," he returned with a wink, reminding Tony of the day he'd saved Steve from the bullies.

"Yeah, yeah, now we're even. How's that been working out for you, anyway? I haven't seen you with any new bruises recently." Pepper hung out with Steve more than he did, but occasionally she dragged him along to Hogsmeade with her and Peggy to get him out of the castle, and Steve and Bucky inevitably tagged along. Tony tried to avoid it, as while he liked spending time with Peggy and Steve, Bucky tended to rub him the wrong way.

"Yeah, well, they've been learning how to hit me where it isn't visible," Steve remarked dryly, causing Tony's brow to furrow in concern. The Gryffindor gave a smile that was meant to be reassuring, but didn't calm Tony in the slightest. "Seriously, they've laid off a little, I'm way better than I was last year. It's fine."

"Are you sure? Because I can totally get Thor and his buddies to be your bodyguards if you want to. And he might not look like much, but Bruce is surprisingly strong, he could do some damage for you if I bugged him enough about it," he offered, though Steve shook his head.

"No, no, I can handle it. It's fine, like I said." Tony sighed, bumping Steve's shoulder with his as they began to walk towards Ravenclaw tower.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again; Gryffindors," he muttered with a shake of his head, making Steve let out a noise of offence.

"Hey! Just because not everyone has it in them to be brave," he began, only for Tony to level him with a look.

"There's brave and then there's stupid, blondie. Your actions lean towards the latter."

"I could've left you hanging from the ceiling," Steve said conversationally.

"And I'm very grateful you didn't. Even if you are stupid. But hey, it's okay; not everyone can be a Ravenclaw," Tony added with a shrug. Steve paused, a slight frown on his lips as he realised that Tony was just messing with him.

"You're kind-of a jerk," he realised, making Tony grin.

"Yes. Yes I am," he replied, sounding proud of it.

"Why am I even friends with you?" Steve mused with a long-suffering sigh, and Tony almost tripped on air. Steve considered them friends? A slow grin tugged at his lips; he liked the idea of being friends with Steve. Even if the kid didn't really get science, he was fun to talk to, and actually called Tony out on his shit.

"Because I'm charming and handsome and your day is brightened merely by being in my presence," Tony replied magnanimously. Steve snorted, though he was smiling.

"Sure, sure, if you say so." They stopped outside the statue, and Steve gave Tony a look. "If I were you, I'd stay in your common room for a while in your free time."

"What makes you think he can't get in?" Tony retorted, remembering the many times Clint had just randomly turned up in the Ravenclaw common room, despite no one having actually invited him in, or seen him arrive. Sneaky little bastard. Steve looked shocked, and Tony smirked mischievously. "If I were you, little lion, I'd keep your eyes peeled for a while. Clint is not getting one-up on me," he declared firmly, making Steve groan.

"Oh, Merlin. Just keep me out of your little prank war, alright? And I'll keep my eyes on the ceilings, just in case you need rescuing again." Tony shoved his shoulder, wincing at how skinny the boy was under his robe.

"Shut it, blondie."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't bite off more than you can chew, Tony," Steve replied, walking away with a smile on his face.

"You'd be surprised how much I can fit in my mouth!" Tony called in reply, knowing that Steve would be going an adorable shade of red at his words. Grinning to himself, he answered the entry riddle and went up to the dorms, hoping Bruce was around. Planning a prank war was better with two people.


	17. Y4: Science Creates Explosions

**_Title: _**_Science Creates Explosions_**_  
Summary: _**_Tony and Bruce didn't mean to blow up the cauldron in class. Regardless, they still end up sharing detention with a certain Hufflepuff girl who is far too sneaky for her house._**_  
Wordcount: _**_1120_**_  
Pairing: _**_Implied Bruce/Tony _**_  
Year: _**_Four_

* * *

Tony grinned to himself as he stirred the potion carefully, Bruce hovering over his shoulder to look into the cauldron. The instructions were in the textbook in front of them, but were being dutifully ignored as the two boys tried to improve the potion. Professor Pym didn't tend to ask what they did during class, so long as they turned in some sort of functional potion by the end of it, leaving them free to experiment for the whole double period. "Can you take over? I need to cut the wolfsbane," he asked Bruce, who nodded, shifting away a little. As a werewolf, he was allergic to wolfsbane, so it was Tony's job to handle it for potions. Carefully switching the stirring rod to Bruce's hands, Tony began to deftly slice the ingredient into even pieces, hand practically a blur as he chopped.

"You ready?" Bruce asked, stopping stirring and grabbing some powdered doxy eggs. Tony grinned, holding up the wolfsbane.

"On three." He counted down quickly, and on three they both dropped their ingredients in the cauldron, eyeing it warily. It fizzed, turning a violent red, then began to bubble ominously. Tony's eyes went wide, and he cursed loudly, shoving Bruce back with one hand and casting a shielding spell with the other. It almost worked; while his spell stopped either of them getting splattered with potion, it didn't stop the cauldron from completely exploding over their desk. "Well, that didn't go as planned."

"Mr Stark!" Tony snapped to attention at the shout, wincing as Pym stalked across the classroom towards them. "Care to explain why your cauldron exploded when I _know_ you can make this potion in your sleep?"

"Uh, yeah… we might have been… editing it a little." Pym stared, unimpressed, then turned to Bruce.

"And you didn't stop him?" he asked, irritated. Bruce opened his mouth to reply, but Pym cut him off before he could. "Of course you didn't; you're just as bad as he is. Detention, both of you; I don't mind you deviating from the lesson plan, but please save the explosions for your free time." Both boys sighed, but accepted the punishment. It wasn't their first detention — it wasn't even their first detention of that year — but it still sucked. Still, at least he didn't take house points.

.-.-.

As it turned out, they weren't alone in their detention; a Hufflepuff second year girl that Tony remembered as one of Jane's tutoring kids joined them in Pym's classroom, where they were instructed to take inventory of the ingredients cupboard before the Ravenclaw Head left them to it. "What are you in for, kid?" Tony asked with raised eyebrows, and the girl rolled her eyes.

"First off, totally not a kid," she told him frankly. "Second, I'm in because Professor Hogan way has it out for me. So I used a tiny tasering spell in class when we were only meant to be disarming; the guy was being a douche anyway, kept refusing to give back his partner's wand." Tony snorted despite himself, imagining how annoyed Happy Hogan would have become at her spell, mostly because he would've been amused by it. Tony was sort-of friends with the DADA teacher, as Hogan had been head of security for Stark Industries before switching to teach at Hogwarts. Head of security was pretty much code for 'Tony's babysitter', even now. Hell, the only reason Howard had even allowed him to go to Hogwarts without a bodyguard was because Happy was a teacher.

At the mention of the tasering spell, it immediately clicked for Tony who she was; Darcy, of course. Jane had dragged her alone to their tutoring sessions with Barton, though the Hufflepuff girl rarely did any actual studying. She mostly ogled Thor and tasered all of them when she thought they weren't paying attention. Her and Clint had gotten on like a house on fire, he recalled.

"You're Barton's little minion, aren't you?" he asked her suspiciously, sure he'd seen the pair of Hufflepuffs sneaking around lately. Natasha refused to get involved with pranks, from what Tony knew. At least, pranks that people could pin on her.

"I resent the term minion. Accomplice would be a better word," Darcy replied, not denying the accusation. "Did you enjoy the dungbomb in your lab?"

"I knew that was Barton, stupid bird brain!" Tony exclaimed in annoyance. "It still smells in there, and it's been cleaned like a million times. He is so going down for that." Darcy merely smiled sweetly, scribbling down the number of bezoars in the box in front of her. "I'll get you back, too, missy; just you wait."

"Tony, no hexing second years," Bruce droned, having said the words a hundred times before. "Not even the really bratty ones," he added with a smirk towards Darcy, who made an offended face.

"People think I'm bratty to start with but then they bask in my awesomeness for a little while and learn to love me," she informed them sagely. Tony snorted, glancing at Bruce.

"I like this one; you think Barton would mind if we kept her?" he asked hopefully. "I promise to feed her and walk her, and she won't make a mess on the carpet."

"I'm totally housetrained," Darcy agreed, smirking.

"No pets in the dorm," Bruce insisted, shaking his head. "But if you wanted to go about it like a normal person, you could try being friends." Tony shot Bruce a disgusted face.

"How dare you accuse me of being a normal person, honeybear. I thought you knew better than that," Tony scolded, nudging Bruce's shoulder.

"Oh, hey, while I'm here, could you guys clear something up for me?" Darcy queried hopefully. "Rumours of you two dating, true or false?" Bruce hid a smile, meeting Tony's eyes, and the billionaire draped an arm around his friend's waist, propping his chin on his shoulder to reach round and add something to their list.

"Unconfirmed. We like to keep people guessing," Tony told the girl, who cursed under her breath.

"Lame. And the rumours should totally be true if they're not; you guys would be hot together. And you practically act like a couple anyway," she pointed out. Tony glanced speculatively at Bruce, remembering the last time he'd dated someone because the rumour mill had suggested it. That hadn't ended well. But Bruce was different, he wasn't Pepper… maybe he should just leave well alone.

Getting back to work, neither boy noticed the slight smirk tugging at their Hufflepuff companion's lips as she watched Tony's thoughts play out on his face. That was the thought planted; now to just see if anything came of it. No one ever suspected the Hufflepuff.


	18. Y4: Never Underestimate Redheads

**_Title: _**_Never Underestimate Redheads_**_  
Summary: _**_The prank war between Clint and Tony escalates, and Pepper and Natasha are sick of it. They decide to take matters into their own hands, and grow a little closer in the process._**_  
Wordcount: _**_1580_**_  
Pairing: _**_Pepper/Natasha_**_  
Year:_**_ Four_

* * *

Hogwarts was in chaos, and no one needed three guesses to know who was at fault. Things had been slowly escalating since the tar-and-feather prank of Clint's, when Tony had declared war and drafted Bruce into his planning. After that had come the dancing spell, the truth serum and the colour-change charm, and things had only gotten worse from there. Pepper was sick of it.

"We have got to figure out a way to stop this," she groaned, knees tucked up to her chest. Her companion sighed, shrugging.

"How, though? They're both stubborn as each other, and convinced they can win. The only way they'll stop is if they seriously hurt someone, and that's not likely to happen," Natasha pointed out. While Clint and Tony were idiots, they weren't stupid, and knew how to keep their pranks safe and funny. They could be in detention until they graduated and neither boy would mind, but they wouldn't dare do anything that might actually hurt an innocent bystander. Pepper wondered if the damage to her sanity counted as 'hurting an innocent bystander'.

"Tony might stop if Bruce tells him to," Pepper mused, earning a flat look from the other redhead.

"But Bruce is having just as much fun as the other two are," Natasha said wryly. The quiet Ravenclaw was better at hiding it, but it was obvious he was enjoying the prank war. Pepper blamed Tony.

"I wouldn't mind so much if their pranks weren't so…"

"Blatant?" Natasha suggested, curling a lock of hair around her finger. Pepper nodded emphatically; all the pranks were so obvious, it was no wonder the three boys were in detention for the next two weeks! If they were going to have a prank war, the least they could do was be sneaky about it. "I know, it's embarrassing. I thought Clint was better than that."

"Have you talked to Phil about it?" Pepper queried, wondering if Clint's boyfriend would be ale to get him to stop. Natasha nodded.

"Yeah, he's happy to stay out of it so long as Clint makes time for him," she replied, frowning. "Though he's tried to get Clint to be a little less flashy about things." She liked Coulson, he was great and perfect for Clint, but she wished he would at least try and stop his boyfriend from spending all his time planning pranks. She supposed Clint did his planning in Hufflepuff and allowed Coulson to stick around, but Natasha was banished because of her 'traitorous leanings'; apparently, Clint couldn't trust her not to tell his plans to Pepper in order to get on the redhead's good side. Tasha merely told him that she and Pepper had better things to talk about than their stupid prank war, but Clint still didn't hang around her much anymore. As much as she loathed to admit it, she missed him.

The only good thing about Clint and Tony's little prank war was the fact that Natasha got to spend plenty of time with Pepper, commiserating about how boneheaded 'their boys' were. They'd bonded some during Clint's tutoring sessions, but Natasha had expected that friendship to fade after Clint stopped. It surprised her that their little study group still met up every now and then, either to actually study or just to hang out, with the addition of Coulson. It was nice, having the group of friends from all houses and ages. Strange, but nice. And, well, Pepper was just the icing on the cake; spending even more time around her had only fuelled Natasha's crush, and it was beginning to get to an embarrassing level. No one else noticed, of course, but Tasha could barely think straight around the pretty Hufflepuff.

"Maybe we should just force them to talk it out, call a truce," Pepper suggested, breaking Natasha from her thoughts.

"How, though? They won't say anything to each other that isn't a taunt," she replied with a raised eyebrow. Pepper smirked, sending tingles across Natasha's skin. Merlin, she was a sucker for the devious ones.

.-.-.

"C'mon, Clint, I haven't seen you in days," Natasha urged, tugging on the Hufflepuff boy's arm.

"You saw me yesterday in Transfiguration," Clint pointed out, making Tasha roll her eyes.

"Yeah, and you spent the whole lesson plotting in that little notebook of yours," she reminded him. "I haven't punched anything in forever and I need to let off some steam, come spar with me." Clint sighed, but nodded, allowing her to drag him along.

"Wait, where are we going?" Clint asked with a frown, knowing the route they were taking wouldn't lead to any of their usual spots.

"New place," the Slytherin girl replied shortly, turning her head a little to hide her smirk. "Go on, in." Before he could protest, she shoved him into the classroom, slamming the door shut and locking it with a charm.

"Tasha!" Clint yelled, pounding on the door. "Tasha, come on, this isn't funny!" Natasha smiled, tucking her wand away.

"Two hours, Clint!" she called back. "If this stupid prank war isn't resolved by then, I swear Pepper and I will kick both your asses!" She heard a loud curse, and smirked; Clint had obviously noticed his companion in the room. Pepper rounded the corner, having locked the other door into the room, and grinned at the younger girl.

"Well, that gives us two hours to kill," she mused, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Wanna go for a walk or something?" Natasha smiled, nodding, and fell into step beside Pepper.

"Hopefully the classroom won't be a smouldering crater when we get back," Natasha remarked, making Pepper laugh.

"It shouldn't be; Tony knows that damaging school property will make both Bruce and I very upset," she assured. "And I doubt Clint is capable of that quite yet."

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Natasha replied. They wandered through the corridors, chatting about nothing and anything, and went down to the entrance hall, surprised when they bumped into a concerned-looking Phil Coulson.

"Hey, have you two seen Clint?" he asked with a frown, and the two girls shared a look.

"Yeah, we locked him in a classroom with Tony," Natasha replied bluntly. Coulson paused.

"And you did that… why?" he asked, blank-faced.

"Hopefully, to end this stupid prank war they've got going," Pepper supplied, offering the other Hufflepuff a sweet smile. She'd always liked Phil, even when no one in their year was really a fan of him. Tony insisted he was too uptight, but really they got along okay. "Don't worry, they're perfectly safe. We'll let them both out in two hours." Coulson sighed, shaking his head.

"Merlin, I'm dating an idiot," he muttered, though there was a fond smile on his face and no malice in his words. "Okay, tell him to come back to the common room when you let him out to play again." Natasha laughed, offering the older boy a smile.

"Sure thing, Phil. See you around."

"Stay out of trouble, ladies," he replied, continuing towards the grand staircase. Pepper snorted, giving Natasha a smirk.

"Stay out of trouble? Really? You'd think he'd never met us," she remarked, taking a turning down a little-used corridor.

"I know, right? I mean, us, trouble?" Natasha agreed, attempting innocence. It didn't work too well. Pepper laughed, her smile causing flutters in Natasha's belly.

"Hey, promise me something?" Pepper asked abruptly, glancing sideways at Natasha.

"Sure, anything." Pepper stopped turning to properly face the Slytherin.

"Promise me we won't stop hanging out when the boys aren't fighting anymore," she said softly, looking a little nervous. Natasha frowned; what on Earth made Pepper think she'd stop wanting to hang out.

"Of course we won't. I promise," she added, making Pepper smile.

"Great." Pepper leaned in, pressing a brief kiss to Natasha's lips, then carried on walking as if nothing had happened. Natasha blinked, wondering if she'd imagined the whole thing, then hurried to catch up, grabbing Pepper's hand.

"Okay, hold up. You can't just kiss me and then keep walking," she declared, making Pepper smile.

"Why not? Come on." She squeezed Tasha's hand, prompting her to walk once more, their fingers clasped between them.

"Merlin, I am so confused," Natasha murmured, staring at her and Pepper's joined hands as they walked, stunned. "Since when did you like me back that way?" Pepper laughed, pulling Natasha closer to kiss her once more.

"Y'know, maybe Clint wasn't the only oblivious one," she joked, arm winding around Tasha's waist. "But it's okay. You're cute when you're confused." Natasha blinked once more, then smirked, tucking some stray hair back behind Pepper's ear.

"I think I've caught up now," she assured. "So maybe you wanna kiss me again?" Pepper snickered, but obliged, closing the gap between them to press their lips together gently. Natasha had never kissed anyone before, but she definitely liked kissing Pepper. Resting a tentative hand on the older girl's hip, Natasha deepened the kiss, leaning up on her toes to compensate for the slight height difference. When they parted, Tasha found herself smiling, and Pepper grinned back.

"We should probably go free Clint and Tony," the Gryffindor mused, but Natasha rolled her eyes.

"They can survive ten more minutes." Pepper could hardly argue with her mouth otherwise occupied. Natasha decided that Clint would never know what had really happened; he'd never let her live down being just as oblivious about Pepper as he had been with Coulson.


	19. Y4: Losing Control

**_Title: _**_Losing Control_**_  
Summary: _**_With a combination of puberty and a failed potion, Bruce's werewolf senses are starting to overwhelm him in a castle full of teenagers. Tony tries to help, and Bruce loses his temper_**_  
Wordcount: _**_2009_**_  
Year: _**_Four_

* * *

In the three and a half years Tony had known Bruce, he'd gotten pretty used to his… wolfy moments. They didn't happen too often — Bruce was very good at reigning in his temper, which was why he was ordinarily so mild-mannered — but over the past year or so, they'd been getting worse, and happening more often. Going on things he'd read in books about werewolves, which were admittedly few and far between, Tony surmised that it was pretty much werewolf puberty. The books said that not only did they have mood-swings to look forward to, but Bruce's senses would get even stronger, and he would have a harder time resisting his baser needs. Bruce had gone bright red when Tony had told him that, but Tony wasn't perturbed.

They were both still working on finding a cure, but hadn't gotten very far. It wasn't helped by Bruce constantly urging Tony to work on his own projects and prioritise other things, pointing out that if he'd lasted seven years already, he could wait a while longer. Tony didn't like that reasoning, but often got swayed towards other topics of research. As Bruce got further into 'wolf puberty' as Tony called it, the billionaire became more determined to find a cure, not liking how Bruce was suffering through losing control. And Bruce wasn't as open with him since he had to keep himself under such a tight rein; he didn't hug Tony as much, too afraid of hurting him, and often wouldn't allow Tony to snuggle because his scent became too overwhelming. Tony assured him that he didn't mind, that it was perfectly natural, but Bruce still got embarrassed and upset when just sitting beside Tony turned him on. Tony wondered how Bruce survived in class, with all the teenage hormones running riot, and realised why Bruce had a near-permanent glamour on his trousers.

They'd tried a few attempted solutions so far, but none of their potions or spells had done a damn thing. Tony was starting to run out of options, though he hadn't told Bruce yet. He would make more options; he was Tony Stark, after all.

Curing lycanthropy was far from Tony's mind currently; he was in the dorm with Bruce, studying for a History of Magic exam. The one subject that didn't come easily to him, and the one subject he hated studying the most. He couldn't fail the test, though; Howard would kill him. "Hey, Bruce, can't I just borrow your notes and copy off those until I learn it myself?" he pleaded, turning puppy-eyes on his best friend. Bruce looked up, glaring at him.

"No, Tony; you won't learn by copying, and I don't care if you hate the subject, I won't allow you to cheat," he retorted. Tony winced, taken-aback.

"Whoa. Easy, big guy. No copying, got it," he soothed cautiously. "Is, uh, everything okay?" Bruce's glare darkened, and he made an almost growling noise in his throat. Tony glanced down at his watch, checking the date. Three days to full moon. Everything was definitely _not_ okay.

"No, damn it! How can things be okay? All I can smell in this castle is hormones and sweat and magic, I'm horny _all the time_ and it's not even _my_ arousal causing it, I have a headache almost as soon as I step out of this dorm room and even inside it your fucking quill is scratching too damn loud! And on top of that, every muscle in my body is aching already in preparation for me to turn into a giant bloodthirsty beast on Thursday! So yeah, Tony, I'm just fucking peachy!" Bruce snarled, throwing his History textbook at the wall in anger. The beds and windows rattled, and a couple of books levitated off the shelf in the corner. Bruce's eyes flashed gold, and Tony jumped up from his bed, approaching cautiously.

"Easy, Bruce. Easy," he murmured, holding his hands out carefully. He placed a hand on Bruce's shoulder, only to cry out in pain when his friend nearly broke his arm while pushing him away. "Ow, shit! Bruce, calm down, it's okay!"

"It's not okay, Tony," Bruce insisted, anguish in his voice that made Tony's heart clench. "How the hell can it be okay? The wolf is winning." His voice was turning into a sob, and Tony ignored the pain in his arm, rushing forward to clamber onto Bruce's bed. Ignoring his friend's struggling, Tony grabbed him in a tight hug, kissing Bruce's hair.

"The wolf isn't winning," he murmured firmly. "The wolf won't win, because you're stronger than that." He rubbed Bruce's back gently, pulling him in until their foreheads were pressed together. "Focus on me, Bruce. I'm sorry if I smell horny but I'm a fifteen year-old boy and I can't help that. Just concentrate on my breathing. Come on; in, out. In, out." He counted his breathing until Bruce was mimicking it, shoulders heaving with every intake of breath. "That's it. You've got it, you're under control. I'm sorry about my scent and my quill and whatever the hell else I do that annoys you, and if you just tell me I'll try and fix it."

"It's not your fault," Bruce argued, still hiccuping with sobs as he tried to calm himself. "You can't help it. I should be in better control." Tony rolled his eyes, kissing Bruce's forehead.

"You're allowed to lose control sometimes, Bruce," he whispered. "You're not invincible." Bruce didn't reply, concentrating on his breathing, and it was a long time before he finally opened his eyes and let his shoulders slump.

"I'm okay," he murmured, forehead to Tony's cheek. "I'm okay."

"There we go," Tony said with a faint smile, carding his fingers through Bruce's hair. "You back with me?" Bruce nodded, pulling back slightly.

"I hurt you," he realised, looking at Tony's arm, and the Stark heir shook his head.

"Barely even felt it," he lied. Bruce shot him a look.

"Liar. Go to the hospital wing."

"In the morning," Tony promised, not wanting to leave Bruce alone. "Wanna tell me what that was about?" Bruce bit his lip, shrugging.

"Just… culmination of everything, I guess. Like I said, the scents, the sounds, everything is overwhelming now. Ever since…" he trailed off, wincing, and Tony's eyes narrowed.

"Ever since what?" Bruce shook his head, and Tony nudged him gently. "Bruce, what happened?"

"You remember the potion from a month ago? The one we theorised but never actually brewed because you didn't think it would work?" Bruce told him. Tony nodded slowly, hoping Bruce wasn't going where he thought he was going. He hadn't brewed that potion because he didn't think it was stable. "Well… I brewed it anyway. I had to _try_, Tony. Ever since I took that potion, it's been harder to keep the wolf at bay. It's so much closer to the surface… I've been trying to hide it from you, but it just got too much." Tony grimaced, guilt welling in his chest.

"Shit, Bruce, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Bruce bit his lip, looking sheepish.

"I didn't want you to be mad at me for making the potion." Tony rolled his eyes.

"How the hell could I be mad at you? The potion was my idea," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but you said not to brew it, I should've listened to you," Bruce retorted. Tony shook his head; what was done was done, and it didn't matter now.

"Well it's done now, and I'm not mad at you. Okay, I'm a little mad, but only because you didn't tell me sooner. We could've fixed this by now, Bruce," he murmured, fingers still running through Bruce's hair. He'd missed this more than he liked to admit, but he now understood why Bruce had been so stand-offish. "I can mess with the muffling charm, see if I can figure out a way to alter it so you only hear things you'd normally hear. And there has to be something similar for scents; not to take it away completely, but to make it bearable. I'll brew some muscle relaxant for you and give you a massage Wednesday night, see if that helps any. As for the horniness, Bruce, you know I'm willing to help with that." Bruce turned bright red, shaking his head.

"I can deal with that part myself," he insisted in a mumble. Tony shrugged; whatever suited him.

"Then feel free to throw me out of the dorm to take care of things whenever you need. Either alone, or with a friend," he added, wiggling his eyebrows, and Bruce smacked him lightly in the side.

"Jackass," he muttered fondly, making Tony chuckle.

"You love it," he returned, pulling Bruce into a tight hug. "I can't help you unless you tell me what you need, Bruce."

"I thought I could handle it," Bruce insisted. Tony rolled his eyes, tapping him on the nose in chastisement.

"Yeah well, in future, I'd appreciate a heads up just in case you can't." Bruce nodded apologetically, then abruptly laid down on the bed, pulling Tony with him. Tony let out a strangled sound, but allowed himself to be manhandled into cuddling position, Bruce's nose pressed against the flesh of his neck, just over his pulse point. "I assume we're giving up on the History notes, then?" Tony asked, earning a nudge to the stomach.

"Yes, now shut up and let me hug you," Bruce demanded. Tony chuckled, slinging an arm around Bruce's back. He wondered what the people who thought they were dating would make of that, and was glad they would never find out.

"I thought smelling people made you horny?" Tony queried, perplexed. If smelling anyone was going to make Bruce horny, it was him; Tony had lived in a near-constant state of arousal since before he'd turned thirteen.

"It does, but… you smell safe. Comforting. It's hard to explain, but it's why I stole your Stark Industries t-shirt. Your scent relaxes me, and the wolf. You're pack to him," Bruce admitted, sounding somewhat reluctant to do so. Tony grinned, pleased by the information; Bruce's wolf thought he was pack.

"Then by all means, keep the t-shirt, and just let me know when you need cuddle-time. Hell, we can push the beds together if you want." Tony was forever grateful that they were the only two Ravenclaw boys in their year. It would've sucked having to share with more people than just Bruce.

"No, no; I don't want to sleep with you _every_ night, not with the way you dream," Bruce teased, making Tony grin. His dreams were usually pretty active, either physically or sexually, and usually ended with him waking up either on the floor, tangled in his sheets, or with a wet spot in his boxers. "But… cuddle-time sounds nice. If you've not got anything else to do." Tony rolled his eyes, pulling off his tie and undoing several buttons of his shirt, tugging off his sweater and making Bruce do the same.

"Bruce, honeybear, anything else I could possibly be doing pales in comparison to cuddle-time," he declared, completely honest. They lay back down with Bruce's nose at Tony's neck once more, their arms and legs a tangle of limbs, and despite Bruce's elbow in his ribs and the weight of the other boy half-sprawled on him, Tony had never been more comfortable. Settling down in Bruce's arms, he made a mental note to go through all his research on the lycanthropy cure. He'd spend the whole summer on it if he had to; who knew what the experimental potion had done to Bruce's relationship with the wolf. He had to find that cure as quickly as possible. "We'll work through this, Bruce," he promised, stroking his friend's chest.

"Mm, shut up and go to sleep," Bruce grumbled in reply, wrapping his arm tighter around Tony. The billionaire chuckled, closing his eyes. Yeah, they'd figure something out.


	20. Y4: Snake in Badger's Clothing

**_Title: _**_Snake in Badger's Clothing_**_  
Summary: _**_Darcy is determined to get help with her Charms homework. Loki is the best in their class at Charms. And if she wants to know more about the reclusive brother Thor is always wailing about, who can blame her?_**_  
Wordcount: _**_1153_**_  
Year: _**_Four_

* * *

Loki looked up at the abrupt slam, frowning in distaste at the dark-haired girl who had dropped her books on his table. Usually people didn't come this far back in the library; precisely why he worked there. "What do you want?" he asked with a slight sneer, hoping she would declare him weird and leave, like everyone else did.

"You're good at Charms, right?" she asked him, and he blinked, perplexed.

"What has that got to do with anything?" She rolled her eyes, shoving a thick Charms textbook towards him, open on a page about cheering charms.

"Help me," she urged, pointing at the book. "I don't understand this, like, at all. You're always getting full marks. Help me." He raised a dark eyebrow at her, still slightly confused.

"Why should I? I don't think you even know my name," he told her, slightly hurt. He knew hers, of course, but since that fateful meeting on the train he'd barely spoken two words to her. She laughed, giving him an amused look.

"Dude, how the hell could I forget a name like yours? You're Loki. We met on the train in first year. We've had, like, five classes together for the past two years." She spoke as if it was ridiculous someone could not know his name, but he knew plenty of people who shared classes with him that didn't. "As for why you should help me, well; if the warm-fuzzies of doing a good deed aren't enough, I guess I could always let slip to your big brother where you like to hang out around here if you don't help me. Apparently he can't shut up about you in Gryffindor, and you don't give him the time of day." Loki stared at the girl in disbelief, eyes darting down to double-check the yellow and black stripes on her tie.

"How in Salazar's name are you a Hufflepuff?" he blurted, making her laugh.

"That, my friend, is a secret. So are you gonna help me or what?" Loki sighed to himself; if Darcy went and told Thor where he studied, he'd have to find somewhere else, and he rather liked his dusty little corner of the library. Besides, she was one of the few people who didn't actively make fun of him; she couldn't be so bad.

"Fine," he relented, shuffling his chair closer to hers so he could peer at the Charms book. "What is it that you don't understand?" She grinned at him, then made a vague gesture with her hands.

"Like… everything."

.-.

It didn't take Loki long to explain cheering charms to Darcy; she understood a lot more than she gave herself credit for, and seemed to pick things up fairly quickly. It wouldn't have been so bad if she'd not been so bloody nosy between his explanations. "So why don't you talk to your brother, anyway?" she asked innocently, making his jaw clench.

"He's not my brother," he bit out, and Darcy rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, dude; everyone knows you're related." It was true; despite Loki warning Thor not to say anything, the blonde idiot had easily let it slip that the scrawny, pale little Slytherin was his brother.

"No we're not," Loki argued. "Not by blood. I'm adopted."

"Since when did that make any difference? Plenty of kids are adopted," Darcy reasoned, shrugging. He sighed shortly; she wouldn't understand.

"I'm… not like them. It's hard to explain to someone who was raised outside the wizarding world," he added bluntly, not meaning offence. As a muggleborn, Darcy wouldn't know the intricacies of pureblood society, and so wouldn't know how he didn't fit a single one of those intricacies. Not the ones that were expected of an Odinson, at least.

"I'm sure it's not as bad as you make it out to be. Being different isn't so bad, and Thor seems to think you're awesome," she pointed out. Loki scowled, giving her an annoyed look.

"Because you're best friends with him, of course," he sniped. Darcy smacked his shoulder lightly.

"Don't be mean," she scolded, throwing him for a loop. "And I know because Jane tutors me in Potions and Thor is totally into her so he hangs around during our tutor sessions all the time. He asks me about you, sometimes. I don't like to lie and tell him we're friends so I just tell him when you've done something cool in class, which is like every freaking day." Loki tried not to let his surprise show on his face, but the bud of suspicion started to grow.

"Is that what this is, then?" he asked, gesturing between them. "You making friends with me so you have something to tell Thor?" Once more, Darcy rolled her eyes, looking like she thought he was an idiot.

"No, stupid; this is me making friends with you because I think you're pretty cool. No ulterior motives for once, I promise. Also, you're smart, and Jane won't help me with a lot of things," she added. Loki chuckled lightly at that; it was the first time he'd really seen her show a Hufflepuff trait, but he was sure she was being honest.

"I suppose we can be friends. So long as you don't tell Thor, nor do you tell him where I frequent so he can find me. I'm rather proud of how well I've avoided him over the past two years." He could hardly believe it was almost the end of his second year already. Soon he would be heading home, for a whole summer with no one but Thor and his moron friends for company. At least Sif would be there.

"Sure, dude. My lips are sealed," Darcy promised, looking satisfied. "Now, as my friend, I believe it's your duty to let me copy off you to finish this homework." Loki snorted, amused.

"Not quite. I will, however, help you with it. And I might as well help you with that annoying little tasering spell you keep getting into trouble with," he added, making her eyes widen.

"What do you mean, help me with it? I'm doing it just fine," she insisted somewhat defensively.

"You are, yes, but you could be doing it better," he told her. "Or, rather, using a better version of the spell." Her eyes narrowed, and she straightened in her seat a little, looking interested.

"I'm listening." Loki smirked at her; he'd thought that would get her attention. He tucked a stray lock of black hair behind his ear, reaching for his wand on the table.

"Well, there's a version that would solve that little problem you have of people getting angry at you for using the spell. It'll knock the victim out, only for five minutes or so. Enough for you to run away unharmed," he explained, watching her face slowly light up.

"Okay, yeah. Screw Clint Barton; new best friend, right here."


	21. Y4: Keep Breathing

**_Title: _**_Keep Breathing_**_  
Summary: _**_Tony gets pulled from lessons and told some news that flips his world upside down. Being Tony Stark, that news is on the front page of the Prophet by morning._**_  
Wordcount: _**_3066_**_  
Pairings: _**_Clint/Coulson, Pepper/Natasha_**_  
Year: _**_Four_

* * *

Tony wasn't really paying attention when the note appeared on Selvig's desk in the middle of his last class of the day. That quickly changed when his name was called. "Mr Stark, Headmaster Fury needs to see you in his office," the professor replied, and Tony frowned, trying to think of anything he'd done recently that would warrant being sent to the headmaster.

"What did you do?" Bruce hissed, making Tony snort.

"Nothing that I know of. I'll see you later," he replied, gathering his books in his bag and standing up. Selvig frowned at him when he left, but it wasn't his usual 'I'm disappointed in you' frown. It was more concerned, and it put Tony on edge.

Muttering the password to Fury's statue guardian, he stepped onto the moving staircase, trying to calm his nerves. It wasn't the first time he'd been to the Headmaster's office, and he doubted he was in trouble. Still, all his efforts were for nothing as soon as he stepped into the office and saw Obadiah Stane sat opposite Fury's desk, looking grave. "Obie, what's wrong?" he asked instantly, knowing there was no reason for Obadiah to visit unless something had happened.

"Sit down, Tony," the man instructed, and Tony folded his arms over his chest.

"Tell me what's happened," he urged.

"Stark, sit down," Fury told him. He didn't snap like he usually did, and Tony's worry increased. Sitting in the other chair, he turned to face his father's friend.

"What's happened, Obie?" he asked evenly. Obadiah let out a long breath, looking Tony in the eye.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, Tony, but there was a lab accident at Stark Industries. Howard and Maria… didn't make it." Tony felt like he'd been put in front of a dementor. Both his parents… gone?

"What was Mom doing in the lab?" he asked, voice quiet.

"Trying to get Howard to come up for lunch," Obadiah explained. He leaned over, clasping Tony's knee. "I'm so very, very sorry for your loss, Tony. I'll take care of all the funeral arrangements, and… it's in Howard's will that I stand in as head of the company until you come of age." Tony's jaw clenched, and he stood abruptly.

"You want to talk about the company _now_?" he spat, glaring. "My _parents_ just died for _God's sake_, can't you give me ten minutes to breathe!" Obadiah looked taken aback.

"I just wanted to assure you that the company will not flounder in the wake of Howard's death."

"I don't _care_ about the company," Tony argued angrily. "I don't give a fuck about Stark Industries right now. Merlin, do you even care that Howard's dead?" He ran a hand through his hair, scowling. "No. Fuck this. I'm out." Before either of them could call him back, he stormed out of the office, heading straight back to Ravenclaw tower, ignoring the people who called out to him as he went up to the dorm. Bruce was waiting for him, and Tony locked the door behind him, toeing off his shoes and crawling onto his friend's bed, letting his Ravenclaw robe fall to the floor. Bruce wrapped muscular arms around him, and Tony buried his face in his friend's neck.

"What happened, Tony?" Bruce asked softly, and Tony swallowed back a sob.

"My parents are dead," he gasped out, feeling hot tears leaking from his eyes. Bruce's grip tightened, and his lips pressed to Tony's hair.

"Merlin, I'm so sorry," he breathed, holding Tony close. "How?"

"Lab accident. God, why am I crying? I shouldn't be crying. My father was a jackass and my mother was an alcoholic, I shouldn't be crying at their deaths." He'd never gotten along with his father, and his mother had stopped being present shortly after he'd left for Hogwarts. Evidently with him at school she'd decided he was all grown up and out of her hands now.

"They were still your parents," Bruce pointed out. "You're allowed to mourn them."

"It's not even that, though," Tony said, shaking his head. "Obie came to tell me, and… he started talking to me about the company. Like I give a shit about who's going to take over Stark Industries now dad's dead. He couldn't have waited a day or two?" He heard Bruce sigh, and was shifted a little to look into his friend's brown eyes.

"Obie's a jerk, though. You knew that," Bruce pointed out, and Tony let out a wet chuckle. "Get some sleep, Tony. Think things out in the morning. Just… shut your brain off for a while." Tony frowned, giving Bruce a look.

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Bruce smiled, fingers working at Tony's tie.

"I'll help. Come on." It was a testament to how upset Tony was that he didn't make any innuendo-filled jokes as Bruce helped him strip down to his boxers. Instead of taking Tony over to his own bed, however, Bruce stripped to a similar state of undress and pulled on the plain grey t-shirt he used to sleep in. Nudging Tony off the bed, he tugged the duvet back, climbing into his bed. "Get in," Bruce urged, making Tony look up in surprise. The werewolf rolled his eyes impatiently. "You think I'm going to leave you up here to sleep alone? Get in the bed, Tony."

"It's not even six yet, Bruce. You'll be missing dinner," Tony pointed out, even as he crawled into bed beside Bruce. The taller boy gathered Tony against his chest, slinging an arm around his waist as if they weren't only in their underwear.

"I can go without just this once," Bruce replied softly. He extinguished the lights in the dorm room with a murmured spell, and started running his fingers through Tony's hair. "Just stop thinking and feel, Tony. Let it out," he breathed, keeping up the continuous rhythm. It helped him when he felt the wolf get a little too close to the surface, and he assumed it would help Tony too. He felt a wet patch start to seep through his t-shirt beneath Tony's face, and let out a long breath, wishing there was something he could do to help his friend. As much as Tony claimed to dislike his parents, Bruce knew he loved them deep down. As for Stark Industries… Tony was always talking about it could be so much _better_ if his father weren't so selfish with it. He wouldn't be able to just leave it in Obie's hands and get on with his life. Making a mental note to research emancipation and inheritance laws, Bruce relaxed his body and focused on Tony in his arms, hoping the young genius would eventually cry himself to sleep. It was going to be a long few weeks, and he'd have to call in all the reinforcements to stop Tony working himself into a coma to avoid his emotions.

.-.-.

Tony almost punched someone at breakfast the next morning.

He'd woken in a fairly good mood, all things considered, cuddled around Bruce like the werewolf was his own personal teddy bear. Bruce was used to it by now, so he didn't complain. He'd prepared himself to face the day, only to crumble when he got down to breakfast and saw the front page of the Prophet. There, in black and white, was a picture of his father waving back at him, and the headline 'Starks both killed in lab explosion; Tony Stark last surviving heir'. It had only gotten worse as he'd read the actual article. Not only did it talk about Howard like he was some sort of saint, it barely mentioned Maria and was mostly full of speculation and gossip about the fate of Stark Industries and Tony himself. It was completely insensitive, and Tony contemplated suing the entire newspaper for slander. He could do it, if he wanted.

It seemed like everyone wanted to give him their condolences. People in Ravenclaw who he barely even knew, people in other houses that he'd never spoken to in his life, and he hadn't realised how many people he'd dated over the past year and a half until almost all of them offered to 'help him feel better'. It took the entirety of their little 'study group' plus Coulson, Peggy, Steve, Bucky, and Thor's other Gryffindor friends to get people to leave him alone long enough for him to eat his breakfast in peace. Pepper hugged him tightly, pressing her lips to his temple. "I'm here if you need me, Tony," she murmured, drawing a faint half-smile from him.

"Thanks, Pep." No one but Pepper and Rhodey seemed brave enough to hug him, but he was patted on the back and kissed on the cheek several times by his group. He wished it weren't a Saturday, so he could go to class and just forget about everything. Bruce had already banned him from his lab for the weekend.

"You wanna come shoot some stuff with me?" Clint asked when they'd all finished their breakfast, and Tony shrugged.

"Nah, I think I'll pass, thanks. Besides, weren't you guys going to Hogsmeade today?" he queried, looking between Clint and Coulson. The older Hufflpuff gave him a flat look.

"If you need us around, we'll be here. There are other Hogsmeade weekends," Coulson replied, as if he was an idiot for thinking otherwise. Tony managed a feeble grin.

"Aww, Phil, I didn't know you cared." Coulson swatted him gently over the head, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

"We're all here for you, Tony," Pepper insisted, her hand in Natasha's. "You only have to ask." Tony blinked, somewhat shell-shocked. How had he ended up with so many people in his life that actually cared about him? Especially people like the ones gathered in front of him; _good_ people. What the hell had he done to deserve them?

"Thanks, guys. I really, really appreciate the offer, but… I think I just wanna be alone for a while," he admitted hating the way his shoulders shook a little. He refused to cry again; he'd already cried too much the night before. Bruce probably thought he was a giant wuss.

"Sure, Tony," Bruce murmured, squeezing his shoulder. "I'll be in the dorm if you need me, and we'll all keep our phones on." Thanks to Tony, all of them now had top-of-the-range Starkphones, completely free of charge.

"Thanks." He stood up, and Rhodey grasped his wrist gently.

"Tony, if you need to talk…" he trailed off, not needing to finish. He was the only other person in the group who knew what Howard had been like with Tony, who had grown up with him. Tony offered him a small smile.

"Maybe in a day or two, honeybear. But… it's too soon at the moment." Rhodey nodded in understanding, pulling him into a brief hug before releasing him, and Tony stepped away from the group, heading for wherever he was most likely to be left alone. He didn't think he could take another 'I'm sorry for your loss'. He was just glad no reporters could access him while he was at Hogwarts.

.-.-.

Tony wasn't sure how long he spent just aimlessly wandering around the school, lost in thought, but it definitely helped him get his head back in place. He was able to think of his parents and mourn them privately, dredge up the few fond memories he had of his childhood. And he was finally able to think about what it meant for Stark Industries. He'd inherit it in a year and a half anyway, but… he knew Obie wanted to take Stark Industries in a very drastic direction, far more than Howard ever had. Howard had tried to keep an even mix of offensive and defensive research, where as Obie wanted to go straight into the offensive. Tony didn't want that to happen; he wanted Stark Industries to help people, to make things better. He wanted them to find a cure for Bruce, and to bridge the gap between the muggle and magical world. He wanted to be able to use the high-tech systems he dreamed about without everything exploding at the weakest summoning charm. He wanted to stop people associating Stark Industries with death and destruction, and he couldn't do that with Obadiah in charge.

Plotting his takeover of Stark Industries, Tony wandered out to the grounds, smiling slightly as he saw the glow of the sunset reflecting off a familiar blonde head of hair. Steve was perched on a large flat rock by the side of the lake, his sketchpad in hand. Tony knew he drew, but had never actually seen him drawing. Unsure if he was welcome to intrude in the artist's space, he approached cautiously, making sure he could be heard. Steve looked up at him and smiled, and Tony assumed that meant he was okay to join him. "Hey," he greeted softly, sitting on the rock beside the Gryffindor.

"Hey. You okay?" Steve asked, and Tony scoffed softly.

"Pass," he replied, making Steve frown. The blonde scooted closer, his shoulder pressing to Tony's.

"Wanna talk about it?" Tony shook his head, tucking his knees up to rest his chin on them.

"Not really. Just… looked kinda peaceful out here. And I could do with a little company. If you're busy drawing, though, I can go find Bruce or something," he added hastily, though Steve shook his head.

"Nah, I'm not busy. I've drawn this sunset a thousand times by now," he replied, staring out over the lake. Tony followed his eyeline, a slight smile coming to his lips.

"I can see why; it's beautiful." Steve hummed in agreement, setting his sketchpad back on his lap and taking up his pencils. Tony could see over his shoulder enough to watch him as he drew, and he let out a low whistle. "You're really good," he complimented, making Steve blush.

"Thanks, but I'm not that great." Tony raised an eyebrow at him, and gestured to the pad.

"May I?" Steve nodded, allowing Tony to take the pad, and the billionaire flipped through some of the sketches and watercolours. There were pictures of all sorts of things; different landscape views from around the castle, an owl in flight, and several of all of Steve's friends. Tony smiled when he saw a drawing of himself and Bruce in there, sat at a desk with their heads bent close together, both with quills in hand and smiles on their faces. Was that really how they looked when they were talking science? "Wow, this one's amazing. When did you do it?" Steve's cheeks were slightly pink as he replied.

"About four or five months ago. I was in there to get a book out for my History project, but… you guys just looked so happy I couldn't resist drawing it. I don't think anyone even noticed I was there; no one ever does," he mused, sounding slightly forlorn.

"I notice you," Tony replied instantly. "I remember that day; we'd blown up our lab and it was still undergoing decontamination, so Pepper made us do our homework in the library like normal people. I saw you, I just figured you were drawing from memory. I didn't want to go over and say hi incase I broke your concentration." Steve looked surprised, and Tony gave him a slight smile, nudging his shoulder gently. "You really think it's that easy to fly under my radar, blondie? You should know better than that." Steve chuckled, looking rueful.

"I suppose you're right. I'll keep that in mind in future if I want to draw you while you're not looking. I prefer natural subjects; posed art always looks a little… off to me. A little forced," he reasoned. Tony shrugged, not knowing much about art, but he couldn't argue with the results; Steve's drawings were incredible.

"You should show these off a little more, y'know? They're amazing, and I bet the guys would love to see them. That one of Clint and Coulson is cute, though if you tell them I said that I will hurt you." Steve chuckled, reaching over to flip back to the page Tony had mentioned. Clint and Coulson were stood together, clearly in Hogsmeade, though the background was merely blurs and suggestions of colour. They were dressed in winter clothes, with their house hats and scarves on, and their gloved hands tightly clasped. They were facing each other, and Clint was just coming down off his toes, as if he'd just been leaning up for a kiss. His other hand was on Coulson's shoulder, and both of them were smiling like they were the happiest people in the world.

"Maybe I'll show them a couple," Steve relented. "I just… I don't want to forget anything. Any of this. If I draw it, it stays in my head better." Tony frowned, wondering what Steve was talking about. How was he likely to forget things? He was right there with them.

"Steve, is everything okay?" he asked, concerned. The smile Steve gave him looked slightly forced, and he nodded.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Don't worry about me, Tony; you've got enough on your plate as it is." Tony almost flinched at the reminder, and sighed. He had so much to do, but first he had to get through the funeral. Obadiah had sent him a text, telling him it was on Wednesday. He didn't ask about bringing a friend, though he wished he could bring Pepper or Bruce for support. At least Rhodey would be there, as a family friend.

"I suppose. But this whole friendship thing goes both ways, y'know. With all of us. We're all here for you just as much as you're here for us," he pointed out. That only seemed to make Steve's mood worse, and Tony figured he was probably best off dropping the subject. He wound an arm around his own knees, shoulder pressing against Steve's. He wished he could lean against him, but he was afraid of breaking the younger boy. Still, it was nice having the company. Steve took the sketchpad back, opening it to the half-finished sunset, and Tony let himself relax in the presence of the Gryffindor. He'd have to face the world again tomorrow, but until then… he could just breathe.


	22. Y4: Lost in Translation

_**Title: **__Lost In Translation__**  
Summary: **__Thor has been mooning over Jane Foster for the entire school year, at least. His friends decide it's time for him to do something about it. However, he doesn't make his intentions too clear at first._  
_**Wordcount: **__1982_  
_**Pairings: **__Thor/Jane_  
_**Year: **__Four_

* * *

Thor smiled widely over at the Ravenclaw table, hoping he didn't have any food in his teeth. Jane, the recipient of his smile, grinned back somewhat shyly, offering a wave before being drawn back into conversation with Tony and Bruce, the Stark heir gesturing wildly when Bruce wasn't reminding him of the cutlery in his hands. "Must you keep staring at her from afar, Thor?" Fandral remarked wryly, rolling her eyes. "You're supposed to be brave. Ask the good lady on a date." Thor felt his cheeks redden, and prayed Jane was no longer looking his way.

"It's not that simple, my friend, although I wish it were," he insisted.

"Why not?" Sif asked, eyebrow raised. "You both speak the same language. All you have to do is get the words out."

"I think that is his problem," Hogun joked, smirking.

"Oh, leave him alone, you brutes," Peggy cut in, patting Thor's forearm. "I'd like to see any of you asking out girls. Or boys." The three boys and Sif faltered under her sharp gaze, and Bucky let out a quiet snicker from his safe place on Steve's other side.

"I went on a date last week!" Fandral pointed out indignantly, but Peggy wasn't impressed.

"Yes, one she asked you on. You've never been the one asking, in all your many conquests, have you?" Fandral's reputation was no secret, especially not amongst his friends. He could have his pick of almost any girl in the castle, and took full advantage of it. Peggy had a point, though; they always came to him, never the other way around.

"Yes, well…" He trailed off, unable to retort.

"I think you should ask her," Steve piped up quietly, a small smile at his lips. "She likes you, Thor. Anyone can see that. I don't think you'd have a problem in asking." Thor grinned, taking a swig of his pumpkin juice.

"Friend Steve, I think you might be right," he declared, gathering his confidence as he saw Jane get up from her table alone. "I shall see you all back at the tower." He got to his feet, ignoring the food still left on his plate, and hurried to catch up with the brunette Ravenclaw in the entrance hall. "Lady Jane!" he called, and she stopped, turning to him with a smile.

"Hey, Thor," she greeted, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Everything okay?"

"I was wondering if you would consent to meeting with me this evening," he asked somewhat rapidly, while he had the nerve. To his delight, Jane grinned.

"Sure, I'm totally free. Transfiguration again?" Thor blinked, then felt the blush creeping up his cheeks as he realised she had misunderstood him. He could hardly blame her; he'd often asked for impromptu tutoring sessions, and he hadn't made it all that clear he'd meant for her to meet him for a date.

"Uh, yes," he agreed, unwilling to try and explain himself. Being around Jane always made him feel tongue-tied. She was just so _smart_, he didn't understand why she bothered with him.

"I'll bring my books with me, then. Library at seven?" He nodded, and she smiled at him. "Great, see you then." Before he could say anything more, she turned to head up the stairs, and he let his shoulders slump when she was out of sight.

"So much for Gryffindor courage," he muttered to himself, combing fingers through his messy blonde hair. Still, he had an evening with Jane to look forward to, even if it wasn't in the capacity he'd planned. Maybe he could explain himself then.

.-.

Sif had yet to stop laughing. Thor wished it weren't against his moral code to hit a lady. "You just let her _assume_," she crowed, amused. "Oh, Thor, you are hopeless." He didn't take offence, as there was a smile on her face.

"You're going to have to learn a way with women, my friend; it clearly didn't come naturally," Fandral remarked, a half-smirk on his face. "Perhaps I might be willing to give you some advice."

"He doesn't want advice from _you_; he actually likes this girl," Peggy told the blonde flatly, making Volstagg bark out a surprised laugh. It was a good thing the Warriors Three were used to being shown up by a woman, or Peggy would have been quite a shock to them upon joining Hogwarts. She and Sif had been very fast friends, despite the year's age difference. "You do, don't you, Thor?"

"Very much so," he admitted freely, turning earnest eyes on the brunette. "Tell me, my lady, how to make my affections known to the Lady Jane." Peggy smiled at him, patting his shoulder.

"Well, first thing's first, get her thinking about you in the right way. This shan't be too much of a problem, given… you." She blushed slightly, and Steve looked amused from where he was pretending to do his homework at the coffee table. "But the right clothes can't hurt. And as lovely as you look in your uniform, I think you should go change. Sif, go up with him, would you? Make sure he looks presentable." Sif nodded, grabbing Thor by the arm, and he allowed her to lead him up to his dorm. Dressing in the clothes she handed him, having trusted her on the matter for almost as long as he could remember — his mother believed he was capable of dressing himself for his father's formal dinners and parties, but she had never been more wrong — he actually made the effort to brush his hair into neatness.

"That will have to do," Sif declared, smiling faintly. He tugged her close with a long arm, tucking her into his chest.

"Thank you, dear Sif," he murmured, kissing the top of her head fondly. She laughed quietly, squeezing his briefly around the waist before wiggling free.

"Thor, my friend, there is nothing to thank me for. Now come, I'm sure this is not the only part of Peggy's plan." Thor swallowed slightly, but squared his shoulders and followed his younger friend back down to the common room. If Peggy's plan helped him win the heart of Jane Foster, it would be worth it.

.-.-.

Thor wasn't surprised to find Jane already at the library when he arrived, her books spread out over their usual table and an empty chair beside her, waiting for him. He was relieved to see she had also changed out of her uniform for the evening, not wanting to look like he was trying too hard — according to Peggy, that was important. Jane wore jeans and an olive green t-shirt, a thin grey cardigan over the top. Her hair was tied up in a messy ponytail, and it made him smile. How could she look so beautiful without even realising?

She looked up when he drew closer, smiling brightly, and if Thor wasn't mistaken her eyes widened a fraction as she took in the sight of him. Usually he turned up to their sessions still in his school shirt and trousers, or in ragged jeans and a t-shirt. Now he was in well-fitting jeans and a plaid shirt open over a white t-shirt, and his friends had assured him Jane wouldn't be able to resist him. "Hey, Thor," she greeted, the faintest stutter to her voice.

"Greetings, Lady Jane," he replied, sinking into the chair and tugging his satchel over his shoulder, reaching for his books.

"What did you want to go over?" she asked, leaning her elbow on the table. He gave her a look, hesitating, and she laughed. "I'll pick up where we left off." He chuckled, smiling.

"I would be most grateful."

"Just doing my job," she replied, pulling a textbook closer so they could both see it. "So you understood the theory behind the object-to-animal transfiguration, right?" He nodded, frowning slightly.

"Yes, but I could not get the spell to quite work. And I confess that the process of reversing the spell made little sense to me." Jane didn't seem bothered, immediately launching into an explanation, using her notes to help and prompting him to take his own. Thor tried to pay attention the best he could, but as he'd often found during the course of the year Jane had been tutoring him, he was easily distracted by his tutor. Her eyes sparkled when she spoke about the things she understood and enjoyed, and her enthusiasm sent warmth to his chest.

"Lady Jane, if I may," he interrupted, steeling himself for what he was about to do. There was no backing out, not now. His friends would never let him live it down if he returned without having at least tried.

"Sure. Am I going too fast for you?" He shook his head, and she set her quill down.

"Nay, it is not about the tutoring. I… I have a confession to make." One of Jane's eyebrows rose, prompting him to continue. "When I asked you to meet with me this evening, I did not mean for us to have another tutoring session. I… I had hoped you might be willing to go on a date with me." There, he'd said it.

Jane looked shocked, her jaw slightly slack. "You… a date? With me?" she confirmed, and he nodded.

"I have been meaning to ask you for months, but contrary to my house I could not find the confidence to do so. However, I would be most honoured if you would consent." Her cheeks were pink as he spoke, and she still looked somewhat shellshocked.

"Seriously? Tony didn't put you up to this, did he?" she asked, suspicious. Thor's eyes widened, and he shook his head frantically, taking her small hand in his.

"No, friend Tony had no say in my decision, and I assure you I am perfectly serious. I hold great affection for you, Jane Foster. I apologise for the time it has taken for me to tell you this, but… matters of the heart are not my forte," he admitted sheepishly. He was very aware that she had yet to give him an answer, and tried to ignore the frantic beating of his heart as he sat there with her fingers linked with his. She smiled shyly, the redness still high on her cheeks.

"Wow. You're actually serious," she murmured in disbelief. "Well, I, uh. We should probably finish working on these notes," she said, gesturing to the Transfiguration books on the table. Thor's heart began to sink. "But, maybe afterwards, we can go with your original plan. If you want." He blinked, taking several seconds to figure out what she was implying.

"You wish to go on a date with me after our tutoring session?" he confirmed, and she nodded.

"Yeah. Maybe we can walk around the lake before curfew, or something." Thor beamed at her words, heart swelling with joy.

"Thank you, Lady Jane, for giving me the honour," he declared strongly, bringing her hand up to his lips. "We should finish these notes quickly, so we have more time to spend together before we must part for curfew." She grinned at him, reaching into her pocket for her StarkPhone.

"I'll tell Tony and Bruce not to wait up for me," she said, tapping out a quick text. Sending it, she slipped the phone back into her pocket, ignoring it when it notified her of a reply; Tony would know exactly what her text meant, and she didn't want to know what his response would be.

Thor didn't let go of her hand as she went back to explaining the spell theory to him, and he grinned to himself when she shuffled her chair closer to his, their shoulders bumping lightly when either of them moved. He'd never wanted a tutoring session to end more than he did right then.


	23. Y4: Stress Relief

_**Title:**__ Stress Relief_  
_**Summary:**__ Bruce's 'werewolf puberty' is only getting worse as he gets older, and being in a castle full of horny teenagers definitely isn't helping. Tony decides to lend a hand._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 1973_  
_**Pairing:**__ Bruce/Tony_  
_**Year:**__ Four_

* * *

Snuggling on a Friday evening had sort-of become their thing, now. Bruce was always tense on Fridays, after a whole week of having to put up with the rest of the world, and a few hours of semi-meditation in Tony's arms helped him push through it and prepare for the next week. Sometimes they stayed there until morning, other times they split up and slept in their own beds, but Bruce was becoming increasingly desperate for contact as time went on. As a tactile person, Tony had no problems with this; a lot of the time, he looked forward to their cuddle-time just as much as Bruce did. Still, it frustrated him how much Bruce was holding himself back, even now.

The week had been harder than usual for Bruce. Not only was it a full moon on Sunday, but everyone was rowdier than usual now exams were over and there was only a week and a half left of term. People had been louder, and more boisterous, and apparently the scent of arousal and sex had almost tripled. Bruce had given up trying to his the evidence from Tony, though he was still embarrassed to be caught by his friend with an obvious tent in his boxers. Tony just wished he'd ask for help; it wasn't like he hadn't offered. Even now, he could feel Bruce's hardness against his thigh, and the tenseness in his friend's back that betrayed how he was holding back from rubbing it up against Tony for relief. "Bruce," Tony murmured, making his voice purposely husky. He'd have to take matters into his own hands. It wasn't like he'd not thought about it — or dreamt about it — and while he didn't think he wanted to date Bruce, he definitely wasn't adverse to seeing where things went.

The werewolf lifted his head, and Tony took the opportunity, pressing his lips to his friend's. Bruce lips were warm, and slightly rough, and they parted in surprise almost immediately. Tony swiped his tongue across the other boy's bottom lip, drawing a low moan from Bruce. "Tony, you don't have to," Bruce insisted, breaking the kiss, and Tony rolled his eyes impatiently.

"I want to," he retorted, bringing his lips back to Bruce's. "C'mon, Bruce. Just wanna make you feel good."

"Don't do this because you feel you should," Bruce pleaded, shaking his head. Huffing, Tony grabbed Bruce's hand, shoving it against his own crotch, which was just as tented as Bruce's.

"Does that feel like I don't want this?" he retorted, watching Bruce's cheeks go red, though his eyes darkened with lust. "Now tell me to back off, and I will. But I want this, Bruce. It never has to happen again, and it won't change anything unless we want it to. So are you in or out?" He shifted, pushing Bruce onto his back and straddling his hips, and the werewolf growled throatily.

"I'm in," he breathed, leaning up to attack Tony's neck, licking and biting. Tony moaned, tilting his neck to give Bruce better access, fingers working at the buttons of Bruce's shirt.

"Merlin, yes," he murmured, pressing down against Bruce to cause the taller boy to buck his hips. "So good, Bruce. Want you to fuck me." Bruce's eyes widened, and he pulled back, meeting Tony's gaze.

"Are you sure?" he asked, and Tony nodded.

"Want it to be you," he insisted. He trusted Bruce. Bruce groaned softly at the look in Tony's eyes, then nodded, hands reaching for the fly of his trousers. Tony pulled Bruce's shirt off, tossing it on the floor, and immediately took one of his nipples between his teeth, smirking when Bruce's back arched in pleasure. He'd always figured Bruce's nipples would be erogenous zones.

They were both naked surprisingly quickly, but Tony wasn't going to argue. He took Bruce in his hand, gripping firmly and flicking a thumb over the head, and Bruce's eyes practically rolled back in his head. "Merlin, Tony, if you do that I won't last long enough to fuck you," Bruce told him breathlessly, making Tony grin.

"The way you've been all month, you could probably go four rounds and still be ready for more. Let me do this, Bruce," he pleaded, shimmying down his friend, his intentions obvious. Bruce's eyes went wide, and he growled, the sound rumbling his chest. Tony thought it was quite possibly the hottest thing he'd ever heard.

"Christ, Tony, you're gonna kill me," he declared, and Tony chuckled, tongue darting out to taste Bruce's head.

"But what a way to go, huh?" He winked, then wasted no time in taking as much of Bruce in his mouth as he possibly could, being careful to keep his teeth covered by his lips. He really, really didn't want to mess up. By the sounds Bruce was making, he was definitely enjoying it. Tony hummed around the other Ravenclaw's cock, reaching to fondle Bruce's balls as he sucked and licked somewhat sloppily, trying to find a rhythm. Despite his many dates over the years, he'd never actually gone this far. Until now, the most he'd done with a guy was an awkward hand-job in the prefects' bathroom, and his experience with girls was just making out and that one time he'd been allowed to grope boobs. He knew Bruce had never so much as kissed someone, keeping his walls up so high due to his wolf problem and anger issues, and felt a little bad about throwing him in the deep end. But it would make him feel better, and all he had to do for now was lie back and enjoy it. One of his hands was fisted in Tony's hair, guiding him through his rhythm, and Tony felt like he could come just from the noises Bruce was making. Damn, that growling was hot.

"Tony, close," Bruce gasped, obviously expecting Tony to pull away and bring him off with his hand. But Tony merely took him as deep as he could stand it, swallowing around him, and with a loud cry that sounded almost like a howl, Bruce came straight down the back of Tony's throat. The genius tried not to splutter, but some of it dribbled down his chin before he could get himself under control, and he swallowed thickly, pulling off of Bruce's spent cock and looking up. Bruce groaned lowly at Tony's hooded eyes and the drop of pearly white liquid clinging to his chin, tugging him up into a fierce kiss. His hand reached down, gripping Tony, and it didn't take long before Bruce felt a hot splash on his chest and stomach, and Tony was moaning loudly into his mouth. Coming down from their highs, they breathed harshly, pulling away to look at each other.

"Best idea I have _ever_ had. Merlin, why didn't we do this sooner?" Tony asked, uncaring of the stickiness between them as he leant against Bruce's chest.

"I don't know, but I'm glad we did," Bruce replied, biting his lip. "Give me a minute or two, I'll be ready to fuck you like I promised." Indeed, he was already starting to stir a little, and Tony's eyebrows shot up.

"Okay, super werewolf refractory period. Got it." Smirking, he allowed Bruce to flip them over so Tony was the one on his back, Bruce hovering over him. "Fuck me, honeybear." Bruce snorted at the nickname, even as Tony summoned condoms and lube from his dresser drawer. He wouldn't lie; he'd been planning this for a while now. He'd known Bruce would crack eventually.

.-.-.

When Tony awoke in the morning, it was to a pleasantly sore ass, and a warm hardness under him. That warm hardness turned out to be Bruce's naked chest, and he grinned when he remembered the night before. Bruce had been amazing. Far more gentle than Tony had expected him to be, but once he'd been assured that he wasn't going to hurt Tony… damn. He still wasn't in love with Bruce that way, but he'd be very happy to help relieve the tension anytime Bruce wanted until either of them found an actual partner they wanted to be with. "Stop thinking so loud," Bruce groaned, voice hoarse. Tony jumped, having not realised he was awake.

"Sorry. Morning, sleepyhead," he added with a smile, pressing a kiss to Bruce's cheek. "Thank you, by the way." Bruce snorted, squeezing Tony gently around the waist.

"Me? I should be the one thanking you. I feel so much better now it's unbelievable," he replied.

"See, I told you weeks ago you should've let me help. There's no shame in it, Bruce," Tony assured him, fingers running through his friend's chest hair.

"Still, thank you," Bruce murmured, forehead pressing to Tony's. His expression grew serious, and Tony raised an eyebrow. "What does this mean for us? I mean, the sex was fantastic, and I love you, but… not in the way that makes me want to date you." Tony let out a small sigh of relief, having worried that Bruce would want a relationship.

"Ditto. While I'm totally not adverse to doing that again whenever you need it, I really just want to be your best friend that you sometimes have awesome hot sex with." Bruce laughed, stroking Tony's hair.

"Sounds like a good deal to me. Friends with benefits?" Tony held up a fist, and Bruce obligingly bumped it.

"But hey, let me know if you start wanting to actually date someone and we'll go back to not sleeping together, yeah? I don't want to hold you back," Tony added. Bruce nodded, smiling slightly.

"Same goes for you. Though as your friend with benefits, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop dating random people just for the hell of it; the wolf hates it when you smell like bimbo," he added wryly. Tony laughed, nodding.

"Deal. I was going to do that anyway; it's really not as fun as I thought it would be, and it's way too much effort to actually attempt a relationship just so I can make out with people." Bruce's eyebrows rose, his hand pausing in Tony's hair.

"Only make out? You mean you weren't sleeping with them?" he asked, surprised. Tony shook his head.

"Shouldn't you have been able to smell if I was?" Bruce blushed, sheepish.

"I just figured you were taking showers and using scent-removing charms because you didn't want me to know," he explained. Tony snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Bruce, trust me; when I sleep with someone that isn't you, you'll know about it. But, uh, no; you were my first," he added hesitantly. Bruce's eyes went wide at the revelation.

"Why me? Why not one of them; I don't doubt plenty of them were willing," he reasoned, but Tony shook his head once more, wishing he'd never said anything.

"I wanted my first time to be with someone I trusted. As sappy as it sounds, I wanted it to be somewhat special. I didn't want it to be some awkward quickie with someone I don't really like and don't trust enough to let them know I don't know what I'm doing," he admitted softly. Bruce was silent for a long moment, hand still running through Tony's hair, and the genius hated how vulnerable he felt.

"Then thank you," Bruce said finally. "For trusting me with that. And for making my first time amazing, too." He pressed a brief kiss to Tony's lips, smiling. "And if you want to switch next time so we can experience it both ways, that's totally fine by me," he added. Tony looked at him for a long moment, then grinned.

"Y'know, if I didn't already love you in a totally platonic way, I think I'd be in love with you," he informed him. Bruce just laughed.


	24. Y5: Making a Man

_**Title:**__ Making a Man_  
_**Summary**__: Steve, faced with a bad diagnosis and an even worse future, desperately searches for a cure. Obadiah Stane says Stark Industries can help._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3369_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Steve had known it was coming for a while now. He'd had the diagnosis for months, and had just been waiting for the day things started to get really bad. His magic had never been brilliant, but he knew it was getting worse. There really wasn't much hope left.

It turned out, there was a very rare genetic disorder that meant a squib was born with enough magic to be classified as a witch or wizard, but began to lose that magic after puberty began and eventually became a squib as they were meant to be. And, just his luck, on top of all his other medical conditions, Steve had this genetic disorder. Ever since he'd found out, he'd searched desperately for a cure. There had been nothing, but Steve had kept searching, not telling anyone about his disorder. He didn't even tell Bucky, not wanting to break his friend's heart by letting him know that while he'd continue on and graduate from Hogwarts, Steve wouldn't. He was determined to find some sort of cure before it came to that. He'd spent most of his third year looking for any kind of research, experiment or anything, but it was now the summer, and he was running out of time and options. And then he found it.

It was new, and Steve only found it by searching some shady websites on his Starkphone. Apparently, Stark Industries had been doing some research years ago, but it had been discontinued. That research, however, had been resumed shortly after Howard's death, and apparently they'd made a breakthrough. It was still in experimental stages, but they were looking for test subjects. Steve signed up almost immediately; the way he was going, he wouldn't have any magic left by the end of the summer.

Stark Industries contacted him the next day, asking him to come to their labs in central London for the procedure. Steve knew he should've contacted Tony, asked for some more information, but he didn't want the older boy knowing about his disorder, and if all went well he'd never have to know. So Steve lied to Bucky about doing a job interview and got the tube into central London, walking the rest of the way to Stark Industries. It was the tallest building in the city, flashy and obvious, and it reminded him of Tony. "Uh, excuse me, Ma'am," he stuttered at the reception desk, seeing a bored Asian woman sat behind the desk. She looked up, raising an eyebrow at him. "I'm Steve Rogers, I have an appointment." She nodded, glancing at her computer screen.

"Take the elevator down to basement level five, the doctor will be waiting for you there," she told him flatly, gesturing to an elevator off to the side. Ignoring his sweaty palms, Steve walked in the direction she'd pointed, stepping into the sleek steel elevator and pressing the button for basement five before he could chicken out. It travelled quickly, and there was a blonde-haired nurse waiting for him when he stepped out.

"This way, Mr Rogers," she told him with a smile. "Dr Erskine and Mr Stane are expecting you." Steve's eyebrows rose; Mr Stane was part of the project? That didn't sound like him, from what Tony had said of him. Still, he obediently followed the nurse into a waiting room, where he was told to change into a pair of drawstring cotton trousers and wait for Dr Erskine. Putting all his things safely in his bag, including his wand, he kept it close by him. Perched anxiously on the examination bed with no shirt on, Steve tried to ignore the way his shoulders were shaking. Suddenly, the door opened, and a man stepped in. He froze when he saw Steve, frowning.

"This cannot be right," he declared in a German-accented voice. "You are just a boy." Steve's heart plummeted. Was he too young for the treatment? That couldn't be right. Any older and it would be too late; they'd have no magic to regenerate.

"He is the right age, Dr Erskine," a smooth voice that Steve recognised cut in. Obadiah Stane. Luckily, despite hanging around with Tony, Steve had never actually met Stane, so he wasn't recognised here. That was good. Tony wouldn't know. "Good afternoon, Mr Rogers. Are you prepared?" Steve nodded, jaw set determinedly.

"I want the treatment," he insisted, eyes flicking to Erskine. "I don't want to lose my magic." Erskine looked, if possible, more perplexed.

"Of course you don't, Steve. Don't worry; Dr Erskine's serum will completely remove the Hydra gene from your DNA sequence," Stane assured him. Suddenly, Erskine looked as if everything made sense.

"Yes, of course, the Hydra gene will be no longer," he agreed. "Mr Stane, would you excuse me for a moment to prepare my patient?" Stane nodded curtly, leaving the room, and Erskine fixed serious eyes on Steve. "My boy, I cannot allow you to do this without knowing all the facts. My serum is not just a cure for the Hydra degeneration." Steve raised an eyebrow.

"It's not?" he asked, and Erskine shook his head hurriedly, grabbing a blood pressure cuff and wrapping it around Steve's arm.

"No; the serum is in testing to be used in a military format, to create the perfect soldier. Enhanced strength, speed, stamina, healing, metabolism. An inability to get ill. Almost unending magic reserves. Every aspect of your body will be enhanced; even the parts you wish would not be. I will not lie to you, my boy; we have had some less than brilliant results in the past, with earlier versions of the serum. Men who were greedy, selfish, power-hungry. Those traits were only amplified, and it twisted them. I warn you, Mr Rogers; if you do not want to take this risk, turn back now," he said, completely serious.

"Why was none of this information on the website?" Steve asked, and Erskine rolled his eyes.

"Think, boy! Is advertising a serum to create human perfection really likely to bring us those who will not abuse it?" Steve bit his lip; how could he be so sure that he wouldn't abuse it himself? But he had to at least try; he couldn't let Bucky graduate without him.

"I still want to do the procedure," he declared firmly, meeting the doctor's eyes.

"There is no chance it will work. You could die, or lose your magic even faster," Erskine told him frankly. Steve shrugged.

"Lost magic is still lost magic, no matter how fast it happens. And… after everything I've experienced at Hogwarts, I'd rather die than lose my magic and never be able to go back," he admitted freely. Erskine surveyed him for a long moment, then nodded slowly.

"I believe, my boy, that you may actually have a chance. Come; time is precious." Steve hopped off the examination bed, grabbed his bag and followed the man out of the room and down the corridor, into a large laboratory. There was a metal bed in the centre of the room that looked vaguely like a torture device, and clearly folded up into some sort of chamber. Steve figured that was where he'd be laying. "Up on the bed," Erskine urged, and Steve ignored his pounding heart and followed the instructions. He pretty much zoned out through the scientific explanation, only paying attention when they began to strap him down and attach electrodes to his chest and limbs.

"Ready when you are, Doctor," one of the technicians declared, and Steve nodded when Erskine looked his way.

"Start the procedure," Erskine ordered, and Steve shuddered as the needles full of blue potion flipped up and stabbed into his skin. He refused to scream, even as the serum burned as it entered his bloodstream. He burned all over, and he could see himself begin to sweat. Still, Erskine didn't look worried, so he forced himself to stay calm. It was all part of the procedure.

The bed began to shudder, and Steve's brain went hazy as the serum did its work and the bed moved into a vertical position, locking inside the chamber. He was drenched in sweat by the time the door closed on him, and as the chamber began to fill with steam, he vaguely heard shouting from the outside. Concentrating on what was being said, he panicked when he heard Erskine yell to shut it down. "No!" he shouted, hoping they could hear him. "I can take it!" It hurt like hell, felt like every cell in his body was being forcibly ripped apart, but he could take it if it meant he could graduate with Bucky.

The procedure didn't stop, so he assumed they heard him, and eventually the pain began to fade. The steam cleared, and the chamber door opened; technicians immediately rushed forward to unstrap him from the table. He seemed to fit it better than he had before, and as his arms came free he brought them in front of his face, eyes going wide. He had muscles! Huge ones! Stepping forward as his legs were freed, he glanced down at his bare chest, seeing yet more muscle definition. His abs looked like they were made of steel, and his pecs… Dr Erskine rushed up to him, and Steve realised he was at least a foot taller than he had been previously, now towering over the scientist. "How are you feeling, my boy?"

"Hungry," Steve replied on instinct, making the man laugh.

"Yes, yes, that is to be expected after such a change in metabolism. Come, come; let us take your blood, prove to you that your illness has gone." Steve let himself be shifted aside while the metal bed was turned horizontal once more, and he perched on the edge of it, holding out an arm for Erskine to take his blood. He tried not to pay attention to how Stane was still in the corner of the room, watching him with darkened eyes. It made him nervous.

After the blood was drawn, Steve was given a t-shirt and trousers to change into, and some shoes after it was found his old ones no longer fit. Damn, he'd have to buy a whole new wardrobe. His Mom was going to kill him. He looked up when a computer screen was turned in his direction, allowing him to see that the test had come back negative for the Hydra gene. He was free. "Thank you," he breathed, still trying to regain his breath from the operation. "Dr Erskine, you have no idea how much this means… thank you." The doctor smiled at him, patting his hand.

"Thank _you_, my boy. The serum worked."

"Happy days indeed," Stane cut in, not sounding happy at all as he approached. "Have you satisfied your curiosity, Doctor? Your serum works; Stark Industries would like to start putting it into use among the Auror Corps as soon as possible." Steve stayed quiet, wondering why Tony hadn't mentioned any research into magical biology. He'd thought mechanics were SI's thing.

"It is not that simple, Mr Stane; further tests must be run, and we must wait to see if the serum has any adverse effects," Erskine insisted. Steve could see the frustration on Stane's face, though he tried to hide it.

"Dr Erskine, we don't have the time to wait for this," Stane argued curtly. Erskine shot Steve a look that read 'businessmen, honestly', and Steve stifled a grin.

"Mr Stane, I assure you, you will not want me to start mass-producing the serum until we know the long-term effects. At least wait twelve hours, and I would like Mr Rogers to keep in touch with a medical team to monitor any further changes." Stane's scowl deepened as the doctor spoke, but before he could say anything there was a loud bang and a flash of spellfire, and Steve jumped to his feet, all senses on high alert. One of the computer consoles was up in smoke, and a technician was on the floor, white lab coat steadily turning red. Another two bangs in quick succession, and Steve ducked flying debris as the machine he'd just stepped out of blew out from the inside. He didn't realise until the doctor fell to his knees that Erskine had a hole in his chest that was smoking spell residue, blood seeping from the wound.

"Dr Erskine!" he exclaimed, dropping down beside the injured man.

"Shit," Stane muttered, looking around the room. Security guards had entered from all doors, but as of yet they didn't seem to know who had caused the destruction. "We need a medical team in here! Damn it, Erskine's the only one who knows the serum formula!" Steve gritted his teeth, knowing that if that hadn't been the case Stane would have left the man there to die, but pressed his hands against the wound as his mother had taught him, trying to keep pressure the best he could. With his new muscles, he was more concerned about breaking the man's ribs.

"Steven," Erskine rasped, gripping Steve's t-shirt feebly. "It's no use. And, perhaps, for the best." He glanced up at Stane, who was alternating between harassing the security for answers and shouting for a medical team. "Do not let him treat you like a lab rat for the serum. If it can only be used once, I am glad it was you. Go, boy. Run and don't let him catch you, and I am sure you will live a wonderful life." The bloody spot on his shirt was getting bigger, and Steve could feel it hot and slick under his fingers.

"No, Doctor, the medical team are on their way," Steve urged, but Erskine huffed out a laugh, grip on Steve's shirt going slack.

"Not fast enough, my boy," he remarked wryly, blood spotting his lips. Steve wished he were capable of doing magic outside of school, wondered why no-one was helping, and looked up to see several scientists staring at them in shock.

"Someone help him!" he pleaded desperately. "You all have wands, don't you?"

"Didn't you see the spell?" one of the men retorted. "Anyone who isn't a healer can't do shit." Erskine's hand squeezed Steve's briefly, his glassy eyes imploring.

"Run, boy."

For once, Steve listened when someone told him to run.

.-.-.

He ended up stood outside Bucky's door, not sure he could face his own mother. Erskine was dead, he had to be, Steve knew that. And from the sounds of things, Stane would be looking at him as the last resort to replicate the serum. Steve's heart was pounding in his chest, and he was half amazed he hadn't yet had a panic attack. Maybe there was something to the whole serum thing. Taking his keys from his bag and unlocking the door, he slipped through to his friend's room. Bucky's mother was at work, he knew, so he didn't worry about being too quiet. "Steve? That you?" He felt some of the panic leave him at the sound of his best friend's voice, and crossed to knock on Bucky's door. He was surprisingly less clumsy than he'd expected to be with the new length of his limbs, but wasn't going to complain.

"Buck?" he called hesitantly, nudging the door open. Bucky looked up, and his jaw dropped.

"Shit, Steve, what happened to you? I definitely remember you being smaller yesterday." Steve cracked a weak smile at his friend's words, wincing when the bed creaked under his weight as he sat on it.

"Kind-of a long story, Buck," he admitted, shoulders slumping. He felt an arm wind around his back, and tucked his head into Bucky's neck like he used to, though the position was less comfortable now he was a good four inches taller than his friend.

"Start from the top, soldier, and don't leave anything out."

.-.

Bucky, bless his soul, seemed to take the whole thing in his stride. Though he did want to smack Steve for not telling him about the diagnosis, or the treatment. He did agree with one thing, though; he needed to talk to Tony. "Either he knows what Stane's doing and is behind it, in which case I need to transfigure him into a piece of paper and then put him through a shredder, or he doesn't know and Stane is messing with his company behind his back. And he needs to fix that." Steve nodded, head still burrowed in the crook of Bucky's neck.

"I know, I know. But… there's still three weeks of summer left. Dr Erskine is dead, Stane can't exactly give the serum to anyone else if Erskine was the only one who knew how to make it. I need time to get used to this, Buck. To get used to me. I'll tell him when we get back to school," he promised. Bucky nodded, dropping a kiss on Steve's head.

"Sure thing. But there is no way in hell I'm letting you out of my sight for the next three weeks. If this Stane guy is after you, he has Stark's databases at his beck and call. He can find you if he really wants to, and I'm not letting you go without a fight," he said firmly, making Steve smile.

"Love you, Bucky. You're the best," he murmured, hugging his friend gently. Bucky let out a faint huff that Steve knew meant he was stifling a smile, and ruffled Steve's hair.

"That's what I've been telling you for years, man," he teased smugly. "But I love you too, you know that. Even if you could probably bench-press me now, Merlin, have you seen your arms? You should try out for the quidditch team, seriously. Probably break the bludgers with those crazy muscles." He poked Steve's bicep, making the blonde snort.

"Don't think beater would be my thing," Steve reasoned, imagining how he'd react if he accidentally put someone in the hospital. "But hey, we need a new keeper, right? Maybe I'll go for that." He'd not really flown much before, as the exercise set off his asthma, but maybe he'd be good at it.

"You'd be awesome," Bucky insisted, gently releasing him to get a better look at his new body. "Damn. You got hot," he joked, making Steve blush. "Ah, yep, still my Steve in there. The muscles haven't changed the prude of a man." That just made Steve blush harder, but he gave Bucky a grateful look.

"They weren't kidding when they said superhuman strength. It's definitely gonna take some getting used to," he admitted. "And… before Erskine was hit, he was saying how he wanted a medical team on me to track any changes and make sure the serum would stick. What if it doesn't stick, Buck? Where will I be then?" Bucky's hand rested between Steve's shoulder blades, rubbing soothingly.

"I'll keep an eye on you," he promised. "And so will your Mom, and she knows medical stuff. We can track changes. And I doubt they'd be trialling it on people if it wasn't likely to stick, not with how it's obviously hard to make. It might not have been in the best circumstances, but this is a good thing, soldier," he assured softly. Steve looked up, offering Bucky a smile.

"I hope you're right, Buck. Hell, how am I gonna tell Mom?" Bucky laughed, clapping him on the back.

"That, my friend, is your problem. Now come on, I promised Mom I'd have dinner on before she got home, and you're helping me. Let's see if you can not break all my plates please with those big-ass hands of yours," he joked, nudging Steve to his feet. Steve followed obediently, a grin on his face. He should've known that he could grow a foot and gain twice his body weight in muscle, and Bucky would still treat him exactly the same. Sometimes, he wondered why his friend wasn't a Hufflepuff with all that loyalty in him. "Come on, slacker! Last one to the kitchen has to take all your old clothes to the dumpster down the street!"

And then he remembered.


	25. Y5: The Same, Yet Different

_**Title:**__ The Same, Yet Different_  
_**Summary:**__ School starts back up, and Steve really doesn't appreciate the staring. Tony finally finds out what's happening at his company behind his back, and he isn't best pleased._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2838_  
_**Pairing:**__ Clint/Coulson_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Steve didn't think anyone would have recognised him if not for the fact that he was walking with Bucky. He kept his head down, trying to ignore the looks and whispers and mutterings of 'Oh Merlin, is that Steve Rogers?'. Bucky's hand on his elbow kept it grounded, but Steve had never appreciated how easy it had been to slip into a crowd when you were small and scrawny. Now he couldn't hide anywhere, he was a head taller than almost everyone on the platform. "Come on, let's go find a compartment, get some privacy," Bucky urged quietly, glaring at a wide-eyed third year girl. Steve lifted his trunk onto the train as if it weighed next to nothing, and Bucky grinned at him. "Feels good, huh?" Steve flushed, but didn't deny it, following his friend to the nearest empty compartment. With a muttered spell, Bucky locked the door behind them, and Steve put both their trunks in the luggage rack.

"Wow, the year's not even started and I already want to go home," he remarked dryly, collapsing into the nearest seat. Bucky sat beside him, their shoulders bumping lightly.

"Cheer up, man. The gossip will move on in a week or two, once something more interesting happens. Hell, give Stark your puppy eyes enough and he'll do something to make it move on faster than that." Steve cracked a smile; Tony would probably jump at the chance to do something to keep the gossips busy. He'd have sex with someone on the Ravenclaw table, or something equally ridiculous.

"I know, I know. I just… didn't expect the staring to be this bad." There had never been a reason for people to stare at him before. He was practically invisible, and he didn't know how to cope with the attention.

"Of course they're staring, you're smokin'," Bucky teased, giving him a wink that made his cheeks burn red. "Seriously, Steve, don't think too much on it. It's just because it's new; I'm sure once you stand next to Thor people will realise it's not all that weird and think you just had a major growth spurt." Steve raised a skeptical eyebrow, but shrugged, reaching for his sketchpad as the train began to move.

"Whatever, Buck. Guess it's just something I'll have to get used to," he mused, shifting to sit with his back against the wall, tucking his knees up to balance his sketchpad on. Bucky moved to the seat opposite, stretching out and pulling a book from his bag. Usually they'd be looking for the rest of their friends, but Steve wanted a little more time by himself before facing the rest of the world again.

.-.

The staring was just as bad when they got to Hogsmeade, though at least it was dark by then. "Damn, Steve, what did you _eat_ this summer, man?" Steve smiled at Clint's voice, allowing the archer to hug him briefly. "This is so not fair! You were like, the one person I was actually taller than," the Hufflepuff complained. Steve and Bucky followed Clint to a carriage, which already had Natasha and Phil in it.

"…Okay. That's new," Natasha remarked when Steve stepped into the carriage, head ducked. "Steve, you're looking well." Bucky snorted despite himself, squeezing in between Steve and Tasha. No one wanted to sit on the same bench as the lovebirds.

"What happened?" Phil asked, eyebrows raised. Steve shrugged, shaking his head.

"I grew up a little," he said evasively, not needing to look to know Bucky was giving off serious 'drop the subject' vibes.

"Did you guys all get that new StarkPhone from Tony?" the shorter Gryffindor asked by way of distraction. "Pretty sweet, right."

"Making friends with Tony Stark was the best decision I ever made," Clint agreed with a smirk. "So much free stuff. Awesome free stuff."

"I believe you have me to thank for that friendship," Natasha pointed out, amused.

"Technically it's Phil's fault," Clint retorted, fingers twined with his boyfriend's. "We wouldn't have asked Tony for help if he hadn't been so goddamn sexy making me fall in love with him." Phil's smile was both embarrassed and fond, and Steve's heart warmed a little at the pair. He had to admit, he was kinda jealous of their relationship, though he wondered when they'd started saying 'I love you' so easily. From the look on Clint's face, it definitely wasn't the first time he'd said it.

The carriages pulled up outside Hogwarts, and Steve couldn't stop the grin that crossed his face at the sight of the castle. He was back for another year. He would be able to graduate with the rest of his friends. He and Bucky split with the others as they made their way inside and to their respective tables, and he almost laughed at the way Peggy's jaw dropped when she saw him. "Steve," she began softly, eyeing him. "You've… grown." Bucky snorted, and Steve was saved replying when arms just as muscular as his own wrapped around his chest.

"Friend Steve!" Thor exclaimed joyously. "You have grown into a mighty warrior!" Steve chuckled, hugging Thor back just as fiercely. A year ago, that kind of embrace would have broken several of his bones.

"Hey, Thor, it's good to see you too," he greeted in reply, sliding into a seat between Bucky and Peggy. Sif and the guys were round the opposite side of the table, and Volstagg reached over for an enthusiastic handshake.

"What in Merlin's name did you do?" Peggy hissed in his ear when everyone started to quieten down in anticipation of Fury's speech.

"It's a long story," he replied, glad when the headmaster stood up and the hall went dead silent.

Steve zoned out through most of Fury's speech, it being fairly similar every year, but perked up when he continued speaking past its usual end point. "It has been brought to my attention," the man declared, looking annoyed. "That I do not give you brats enough opportunities to socialise outside your houses. I, personally, think you're better off without combining forces — yes, Stark, I am looking at you —" Steve looked over, seeing Tony grinning proudly while Bruce shook his head in despair. "That said, we will be having a Yule Ball the weekend before we break for Christmas. This will be for third years upwards, and first and second years will have their own event at a later date. Dress code is formal, and I swear to Merlin if I see a drop of alcohol anywhere your house will be in negative points." Fury's eyes didn't leave Tony as he spoke, who was still smirking. "Prefects will be in charge of organisation, and the Head Boy and Girl will brief you on that in future meetings. Don't make me regret this." He stepped back from his podium, and the tables immediately filled with food that made Steve's mouth water.

"A Yule Ball, huh? Sweet," Bucky remarked, reaching for a plate of beef. He looked up, then his eyebrows rose. "Oooh, Pegs, what's that on your robe?" he drawled, drawing Steve's eyes to the flash of red and gold beneath her house crest. "Is it a _prefect_ badge."

"You made prefect?" Steve asked, a grin tugging at his lips when Peggy blushed. "Congrats! Who else?" He glanced around, seeing the same badge adorning Fandral's robe. "Wow, nice one!" Fandral grinned at him, and Sif gave the mountain of food Steve piled on his plate a disparaging look.

"And to think, you used to have such wonderful table manners," she sighed, nose screwing up as Thor practically inhaled his food.

"Hey, just because I'm hungry doesn't mean I'm gonna eat like Thor," Steve argued lightly, making a point of cutting his chicken into manageable pieces and chewing thoroughly, despite how hungry he was. He jolted as his phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling it out.

'_Wow. I guess I won't ask what you got up to this summer ;)'_ Tony. Of course. He looked up at the Ravenclaw table, and Tony gave him a bright grin. Steve attempted to smile back, but his stomach churned as he thought of the conversation he needed to have with the Ravenclaw.

'_I need to talk to you. Please? It's important'_ he sent back, unsurprised when it took less than a second before Tony was glancing back down at his own phone, frowning as he read. It was StarkTech, after all.

_'Of course. I'll wait outside for you after the feast'_ Steve sent the older boy a grateful smile, slipping his phone away and getting back to his dinner. Peggy tried several times to ask him about his summer, but he waved her off. He didn't want to tell his friends just yet. Especially not until he'd spoken to Tony.

.-.-.

As promised, Tony was hanging around the house point hourglasses when Steve emerged from the Great Hall. There was no prefect badge on his robe, which Steve had expected, knowing the position would go to Bruce. "Hey," the genius greeted with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, sneaking an arm around Steve's waist for a hug. Steve hugged back, careful not to hurt the smaller boy. He hadn't realised how short Tony was before now.

"Hey, it's good to see you," he replied honestly. "Is there somewhere we can talk, uh, in private?" Tony's eyes darkened, but he nodded, starting off towards an empty corridor. Steve followed him to one of the Transfiguration classrooms, and Tony locked the door with a complex-looking spell.

"Is this about your little makeover?" Tony asked, perching on the edge of a desk and swinging his legs. "Because I have to say, it's a good look for you." Steve flashed a quick smile, though wrung his hands nervously.

"Yeah, actually. I… I don't know where to start." Tony frowned, and gestured for him to sit on the desk opposite.

"Well you could start by telling me what you took or were given in order to make this happen. No way in hell does this kind of growth happen naturally." Steve took a deep breath, reminding himself of all the things he'd come to Tony with over the years, and not once had the older boy turned him away or said a bad word to him. He could trust Tony.

"I was diagnosed with the Hydra gene the Christmas of my second year," he blurted, watching Tony's face go chalk-white.

"Steve, I—" Steve shook his head, cutting his friend off, and then it all came spilling out. The website, Stane, Erskine, the serum, everything. Tony kept a white-knuckled grip on the edge of the desk as Steve spoke, and when he mentioned Stane's plans for the serum he jumped up, pacing and muttering.

"Tony, are you okay?" Steve asked, relieved that clearly Tony hadn't know what Stane was doing.

"What? Oh, yeah, fine, carry on," Tony urged, though he didn't stop pacing. When Steve finished, the Ravenclaw let out a long breath. "So my year just got twenty times more interesting," he murmured, looking up at Steve. "Guess I'd better get a handle on my company a little sooner than expected, huh?" Steve frowned, slipping off the desk to take a tentative step towards Tony.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shock you." Tony barked out a laugh, shaking his head.

"Steve, you turned up for a new year six foot a million and sex on two legs," he pointed out, not seeing Steve blush. "Don't say you weren't expecting that to shock me. But don't you worry about the company, that's my problem, I'll fix it. I had no idea the serum research was being continued after… after dad died. I thought it had been shut down months before that." Steve frowned, resting a hand on the Ravenclaw's shoulder.

"I had the only dose," he promised. "That's what made Stane so mad. And Erskine was killed, he was the only one who knew the formula." Tony nodded, biting his lip.

"That's good. That— that gives me a little more time. And hey, one dose, couldn't have gone to a better guy," he added, face completely earnest. Steve smiled even as he flushed, reaching out to wrap an arm around Tony's shoulders, pulling him close.

"I'm really glad you didn't know what Stane was planning," he muttered, making Tony snort.

"You really think I'd be behind a plan like that? I mean, yeah, curing the Hydra gene, that part's awesome — I should have a look see if I can't salvage enough of the research to make that a thing — but giving the Auror Corps superhuman abilities? No. Bad idea. That needs to not happen like, now. And Obie has to go." He parted from Steve and pulled out his phone, pressing a button on the side. "JARVIS, start pulling records on everyone employed by Stark Industries, see if you can find out who Obie might have in his pocket. Looks like I need to do a little spring cleaning."

"Yes, sir," JARVIS replied politely, startling Steve.

"What the hell is that?" Steve asked, and Tony grinned.

"JARVIS. He's an AI — artificial intelligence. I made him this summer, isn't he awesome? He pretty much runs everything now." Steve blinked, shaking his head. He didn't want to know.

"Very cool," he agreed. "So, uh, you're not mad at me for getting treatment from Stark Industries without asking you first?" Tony looked up from where he was obviously plotting, looking perplexed.

"Why would I be mad at you, Steve? You thought it was legit. I'm not your doctor. Besides, while I don't appreciate Obie going behind my back with my own company, I definitely appreciate him getting you cured of the Hydra degeneration. This place would have been way less awesome without you around." Steve didn't know what to feel when Tony made blunt statements like that. "Speaking of, how did you forget to mention for nearly two years that you were becoming a squib?" he asked sharply, turning on Steve with raised eyebrows. Steve sighed, frowning.

"I didn't want to worry everyone. And… I spent a lot of time in denial about it," he admitted. Tony rolled his eyes, punching him on the shoulder.

"Next time, worry me, yeah? Hell, two years, I could've come up with a cure myself. Or Bruce could've. Potions is more his thing than mine." Steve felt an odd jarring sensation at the mention of the quiet Ravenclaw boy that Tony was possibly-probably dating. He didn't know what was going on with them, but he knew Bruce probably wouldn't appreciate his boyfriend hanging out in a locked classroom with Steve, especially the way he looked now.

"Won't he be wondering where you are?" he asked, making Tony cock his head.

"Bruce? Nah, he knows I'm with you, he won't wait up. But if I have to start planning a corporate takeover, I should probably attempt to get some sleep now before the crazy begins. Also, I don't want Bucky thinking I kidnapped you for experiments or something," he added with a grin, making Steve laugh. With a wave of his hand, Tony unlocked the classroom door, and they started the walk up the stairs together. "So how was your summer, anyway? Besides the whole super-serum thing?" Steve shrugged, falling into step beside Tony.

"Pretty good, all things considered. Fairly quiet, nothing special. How about you? Invent anything fun other than JARVIS?" Tony beamed, launching into a science-filled description of the projects he'd been working on that went straight over Steve's head. The blonde didn't complain, though; he liked listening to Tony when he talked about the things he enjoyed, even if he didn't understand it. It was a little glimpse into how the genius' brain was ticking, and it made him feel just that little bit special that he got to listen to it.

"Ooh, hey, that Yule Ball thing, cool huh? Gonna ask some pretty young lady or dashing gentleman?" Tony teased, the change in subject abrupt. Steve blushed, shaking his head.

"Me asking someone to dance, you kidding me? Nah, I think I'll just go stag. You're probably asking Bruce, right?" he presumed, though Tony shrugged.

"Depends what other offers come up," he replied, smirking. Steve didn't even try and make sense of that, and they stopped when they reached the seventh floor. "Well, this is me. G'night, blondie." Tony offered a wave, already turning down the corridor to Ravenclaw Tower.

"Night, Tony. And thanks for listening." Tony flashed him a quick smile, and Steve headed in the opposite direction, knowing Bucky would still be up in Gryffindor, probably waiting for permission to beat Tony up. Steve longed for the day those two actually got along.

The smile stayed on his face until he got back to the common room and was the subject of intense staring once more, but even the attention couldn't shake his relief that Tony wasn't behind Stane's actions.


	26. Y5: Nesting

_**Title:**__ Nesting_  
_**Summary:**__ Clint, Phil and Natasha gather in the first week back to get the gossip on the rest of their friends. Sadly, the rumour mill is fairly lacking.  
__**Wordcount:**__ 1823_  
_**Pairings:**__ Clint/Coulson, Pepper/Tasha_  
_**Year:** Five_

* * *

The room had been Tony's find, surprisingly. No one asked why he'd been pacing in that particular corridor, but as his mind was usually focussed on needing something or somewhere, it was no surprise at all that the door had appeared for him, giving him access to a lab that could not be more perfect for the experiment he was planning. He'd immediately rushed back out to find Bruce, only to find the door gone when he returned. The pair being scientists, it hadn't taken long for them to figure out how to work the room, and they'd shared the secret among their close friends. When Clint had asked the House Elves, they'd named it the Come and Go Room, or the Room of Requirement, and it stuck.

That had been halfway through his fourth year, and since then it had become the most popular hangout for their group. Currently, it was being used by Clint, Phil and Tasha, and took the form of a cozy common room in which they could chat without worrying about eavesdroppers in their respective common rooms. Clint didn't admit to being the impetus behind the nest-like structure of pillows and blankets in the centre of the room, but there was no doubt it had come from his mind. Phil and Tasha didn't complain, however, the three of them curling up comfortably in the nest. Clint was practically lying on top of his boyfriend, having spent the whole summer apart from him, and Natasha rolled her eyes in amusement. They'd been practically inseparable in the week since school had started back. "How was your summer, Tasha?" Phil queried, fingers absently carding through Clint's hair.

"Fairly boring," she replied with a shrug, digging her socked feet under Clint's thigh for warmth. "Training, avoiding my parents' formal functions, the occasional espionage mission to stop me getting bored. Visited Pepper for a week." Phil snorted; only for Tasha would that be a 'boring' summer.

"Pepper's parents are great, aren't they?" he said with a grin, having spent time at the redhead's house the summer after first year. She'd been one of the only people who he'd actually considered a friend, and her being in Hufflepuff with him was just a bonus. Natasha smiled, nodding.

"Yeah, but I don't think her dad likes me too much. I think he's met my father," she added wryly, making Clint snicker.

"Then I don't blame him in the slightest," he replied, dodging the playful kick she aimed at him.

"Have either of you spoken to Steve since we got back?" Phil asked abruptly, and the two younger teens shared a look. Steve's 'growth spurt' was the only thing half the school could talk about, and as a result the blonde was even more withdrawn than usual. Phil didn't blame him; whenever he left Gryffindor tower, he was surrounded by flirtatious girls and whispers of gossip. The general rumour was steroid potions, or one of Tony Stark's experiments gone wrong, but they all knew that Tony would never experiment on his friends, especially Steve. A blind man could see the soft spot the Stark heir had for the Gryffindor. Besides, if it had been Tony's fault, he would have told them.

"Only a little in class, but not about, y'know," Clint replied, shifting a little as his arm started to go numb. "I'm hoping he'll be back to his usual self once people start leaving him alone. And if they don't start leaving him alone soon, I'm gonna have to start hiding in rafters and shooting the bastards who keep crowding him," he added vindictively. Phil chuckled, kissing his boyfriend's temple.

"No permanent injuries," he warned.

"Only for repeat offenders," Clint argued, smirking. Natasha snickered, pulling a knife from her wrist holster and absently spinning it.

"Occasionally, Barton, you have some good ideas. I might join you on that. And I'll talk to Pepper, see if she can rope the boys into tightening the security around Steve a little. Just until this crap dies down. Then he might actually be comfortable telling us what the hell happened," she mused, tossing the knife up before catching it.

"Tony knows," Clint pointed out, and Phil raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you say that?" he asked. Clint shrugged, turning his head to meet the older boy's eyes.

"You really think Stark would let that lie?" he retorted. "Besides, I saw them sneaking off together the first night back after the feast. No way they didn't talk about it then. I'll bet Bucky knows, too, but he's even less likely to spill than Stark." Phil hummed in agreement, feeling a little drowsy in the warmth of the room, and Clint's embrace.

"If it were anything to worry about, he'd have told us by now," Natasha said, sounding sure of herself. "I'm sure it's fine. We'll find out soon enough."

"Yeah, Steve sucks at keeping secrets," Clint added fondly. Phil glanced up at the clock, then looked over to Natasha.

"You'd better get going," he said, looking at both of them. "Or you'll be caught out after curfew." Natasha snorted, giving him a pointed look.

"Phil, when have Clint and I ever been caught at _anything_?" she asked, smug.

"And I can just walk back with you, and then it'll be totally fine as I'll be with a _prefect_," Clint teased, flicking the shiny badge pinned to Phil's jumper. The older Hufflepuff blushed, but didn't let it affect him.

"Still, Tasha should head back to Slytherin, just in case. I don't want you in detention this early in the term," he insisted. Clint scoffed; he'd already had two. Tasha merely smiled knowingly, uncurling and getting to her feet easily despite the uneven surface of pillows beneath her.

"If you wanted to be alone with Bird-brains, you only had to ask," she said sweetly, leaning over to kiss first Phil's head, then Clint's. "You boys have fun now. I'll see you tomorrow." Before they could respond, she slunk from the room, leaving the two boys with burning red cheeks.

"Is she right?" Clint asked mock-coyly. "You just wanted to be alone with me?" Now his friend was gone, he felt comfortable shifting to lie chest-to-chest with Phil, the position far more intimate. The older boy smirked, tilting his head for a kiss.

"Well, that's definitely part of my reasoning," he agreed, hand sliding up the back of Clint's shirt to rub the base of his spine with his thumb, knowing it drove the archer insane. Clint groaned lowly, arching into the touch.

"Damn, I've missed you baby," he murmured, bringing their lips together. Phil parted his lips willingly, holding Clint tight against him, and smirked when they parted.

"What've I told you about calling me 'baby'?" he scolded, voice low as Clint's fingers tangled in his hair, knees gripping either side of Phil's thighs. The younger teen smirked, free hand fiddling with Phil's tie in order to reach the pale column of his neck.

"C'mon, _baby_," he breathed, sucking a dark bruise just below his boyfriend's jaw, smirk widening when Phil predictably jerked at the touch, letting out a keening moan. "You know you love it." He pulled back, smoothing a hand down the front of Phil's jumper, before reaching to tap the black P in the centre of Phil's badge, grinning. "My man the prefect. Knew it would be you," he insisted, making Phil smile.

"You do know this means I have an obligation to report you when you're sneaking out after hours, right?" he said, attempting seriousness and failing abysmally. Clint smiled wolfishly, dark eyes fixed on Phil's.

"Yeah, but you won't," he said knowingly, pushing Phil's jumper and shirt up in one go, fingertips skating over his abs and making him shudder. "I'll miss our evenings together, though," he added with a frown. Phil raised an eyebrow, cupping Clint's jaw to pull him close.

"I won't be on duty every evening," he assured, pressing butterfly kisses across the arch of Clint's cheeks, trailing down his jawline. "I'll still have plenty of time for you." Clint snorted, rolling his eyes.

"You really telling me that if some firstie in distress knocks on your door when I'm with you, you'll tell them to fuck off as you're off duty?" he asked with raised eyebrows, watching Phil flush.

"Well, no, but—" Clint cut him off with a kiss, smiling against his lips.

"Don't worry about it. I've been prepared for this for ages; like I said, I knew you'd make prefect. And you wouldn't be you if you weren't willing to help all the damn time," he added, tone fond. Phil smiled, abashed, and shifted a little so they were on their sides, facing each other.

"We should take this back to the common room," he murmured, attempting to smooth Clint's hair down where he'd ruffled it. They'd be doing the walk of shame enough without turning up at Hufflepuff looking like they'd been having sex in an alcove somewhere. Clint whined in protest, knee slipping between Phil's.

"Do we _have_ to?" he asked, trying to look as seductive as possible. "Why can't we just stay here all night, get in a little alone time?"

"Because we have class tomorrow," Phil protested, attempting to sit up despite Clint's weight on him. "And we don't have clothes with us here." Clint pouted, allowing himself to be dragged to his feet.

"Fine, he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "My room or yours?" Phil pondered the question, clambering out of the nest and shouldering his schoolbag.

"Mine," he said eventually. His roommates would probably be asleep already, and were less likely to tease them for coming in past curfew than Clint's. Rhodey hadn't let them live it down the last time they'd come in late and dishevelled.

"Fine by me," Clint agreed, hand slipping into Phil's as they left the room, trying to stay as silent as possible. If word got out that Phil was abusing his prefect privileges to stay out late with his boyfriend, he'd be in deep shit with Fury. Still, the older boy smiled to himself as they headed back to Hufflepuff, liking how it wasn't even a question that they'd sleep in the same bed by now. It wasn't even a sexual thing really; Clint got nightmares a lot, and he slept easier with someone he trusted close by. Phil was just happy to have earned that trust.

He glanced sideways, seeing Clint on high-alert for teachers and other prefects as they walked, his eyes sharp even as his hand was relaxed in Phil's. He smiled to himself, squeezing briefly. He hadn't expected to ever fall so hard for a guy like Clint — so unlike all the dream partners he'd imagined for himself as soon as he'd started wanting to date, so unlike _anyone_ he could possibly imagine — but he honestly wouldn't change a thing.


	27. Y5: Taking Control

_**Title:**__ Taking Control_  
_**Summary:**__ Tony gets the ball rolling to kick Obadiah out of Stark Industries, and is surprised at the amount of helping hands he gets._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2432_  
_**Pairings:**__ Clint/Coulson, Pepper/Tasha, Thor/Jane_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

It wasn't often their entire group gathered in the Room at the same time, but after a very vague text from Tony, they obediently assembled. Steve had an idea of what it was about, which was confirmed when he arrived with Bucky and Peggy to find Tony pacing the room in front of a huge whiteboard covered in messy writing and pieces of paper, muttering to himself — no, Steve realised; muttering to JARVIS.

"Do we finally get to find out how Sasquatch over there came to be?" Clint asked wryly, jerking a thumb at the blonde Gryffindor, who blushed. Tony looked up, realising they were all there.

"Hey, you showed, awesome," he said, sounding faintly surprised. "Yeah, this meeting would probably make more sense if Steve let you all know what went on. No pressure or anything, blondie." He gave Steve a brief apologetic look, but the younger boy rolled his eyes. He'd been meaning to tell everyone soon, anyway.

With the attention of the whole room focused on him, Steve explained what had happened to him, not letting anyone interrupt until he was finished. Peggy looked horrified when he spoke about the Hydra gene diagnosis, and Pepper's eyes were sharp through his retelling of the serum injection process, jotting things down in her notebook.

"Damn, Steve…" Clint murmured, frown on his face.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say that despite the circumstances, I'm really glad you got the serum," Bruce said softly, offering Steve a tentative smile. Steve grinned back, touched when everyone else nodded firmly.

"This does, however, bring some complications around," Tony declared, bringing the attention back on him, for which Steve was grateful. "Yeah, the only dose of the serum went into Steve's ridiculously muscled body, but the fact that Obie was even running the experiment at all is really, really not okay. He's supposed to get me to authorise any new research or experiment before it goes ahead, and if he didn't tell me about this one, what else is he doing behind my back?" His smile was grim, and Thor frowned.

"But the company is yours, is it not? How can he do such treachery?" he asked, perplexed. Tony snorted quietly, shaking his head.

"Yes, the company is mine, but it's in Obie's care while I'm underage and at school. And that definitely has to change, which is where you guys come in. As of today, I will officially be working to gain complete control of Stark Industries, and have Obie arrested and out of my hair." Rhodey cursed, letting out a low whistle.

"Damn, Tony, I'm sorry man," he started, squeezing Tony's shoulder. Obviously he was the only one of them who knew just how prominent a figure Obie had been in Tony's life, and how much it hurt that he'd turned on him.

"What do you need us to do?" Jane asked, unwavering. Tony looked up, seeing his friends with determined expression, and tried not to let his shock show. How did he have so many awesome people willing to help him?

"I, uh, wasn't expecting you to do much other than get class notes for me and occasionally bring me food so I don't starve to death. I probably won't be turning up to class much until I finish this, so I figured I should let you all know," he said with a shrug. Pepper rolled her eyes, smacking his shoulder.

"I already told you, Tony; all of us are willing to help in whatever way you need us to, even if it's just sorting through files. It'll go faster if you let us help you," she said matter-of-factly. The others nodded, all looking willing to help, and Tony's eyebrows rose.

"Seriously? You do realise you totally don't have to do this, right? I can handle this."

"Shut up, Stark, and let us help you," Phil told him, earning a grin from Pepper. Bruce rested a hand on Tony's back, rubbing gently at the spot between his shoulder blades.

"I told you this would happen," he murmured, smiling. "That's what you get when you make friends. So just let people help and don't argue." Tony sighed, forehead falling to Bruce's shoulder briefly.

"Fine, sure, it's your time, whatever," he relented, not seeing Bruce and Pepper share a smug grin of triumph. "JARVIS has printed off the files of anyone likely to be in Obie's pocket, and he's currently checking through company records for anything that looks out of place. These get printed out here," he said, patting a large industrial printer that was happily churning out papers while they spoke. "If you could all just look through those for things that don't match up — expenses that aren't accounted for, extra staff where there shouldn't be, strange acquisitions, whatever — that would be ridiculously helpful. Pepper, Bruce and Rhodey are in charge, as they know how Stark Industries runs better than anyone in this room. Except, y'know, me."

"If we're going to be doing this, we're going to need coffee. Lots of it," Bucky pointed out, glancing around. The one downside to the Room was its inability to conjure food and drink. "Tasha, care to accompany me to the kitchens?" The lone Slytherin in their group smirked, nodding.

"Could you, uh, get some tea as well, please? I don't drink coffee," Bruce requested politely. Natasha offered him a smile, nodding.

"Of course; I'm sure others would prefer tea, too." Her and Bucky left, and Tony and Bruce dragged out several stacks of files, smirking when Pepper began to distribute them between the group.

"I really can't thank you guys enough for this," Tony started. "You don't have to help if you don't want to. I can do it all alone, it'll just take longer, but I don't want to feel like I'm forcing you into anything."

"Stop arguing and let us help you, Tony," Steve said, a smile on his face. "I can't promise to be all that helpful, but hey, an extra set of eyes is better than nothing." Tony grinned at him, setting a stack of paper in front of Darcy, who had pulled her glasses from her bag and already had a quill in hand. The Room provided enough desks and chairs for them to all have one, and when they each settled down to start scouring the Stark Industries records, Tony went back to his whiteboard and JARVIS, obviously dealing with the parts that only he could. The spring in his step was noticeable, though, as were Pepper and Bruce's proud smiles every time they looked over the assembled teens checking numbers and writing things down. Yeah, Tony had picked some damn good friends.

.-.-.

They very quickly fell into a system, working surprisingly efficiently together. Any files with suspicious things in them were given straight to Pepper, Rhodey or Bruce, who figured out exactly what was wrong and relayed it to Tony. They each took turns getting food and refreshments, attending classes on shift so there was always someone to get class notes for everyone else — Darcy got out of it, assuring that Loki had promised to lend her his class notes — and alternated the night-shift so Tony always had someone staying with him. The billionaire had yet again decided that sleep was for the weak, though the combined efforts of Bruce and Pepper meant he got at least four hours a day. Steve worried that it wasn't enough, but Tony insisted he went with far less sleep during most of his engineering binges. The only time those shifts were altered was due to prefect patrols; which, when six out of the eight prefects in their year were in their group, happened far more often than they'd like. Hufflepuff shifts were the worst, when both Pepper and Phil were gone; two of their most organised people when it came to paperwork.

It took them two weeks of hard work and making excuses to teachers, but since none of them were falling behind in class and they all still did their homework, the Hogwarts staff seemed to have declared it 'weird shit Tony Stark and his friends do' and left them to it. But looking for traces of Obie's betrayal in the paperwork was easier than a lot of them had expected it to be, once they learned what to look for. Thor, surprisingly, was one of the best at it, reminding them all that he was being groomed to take over his own family business. And Rhodey had contacted his father to start snooping around for gossip, as well as alert several trustworthy members of SI staff to be on alert; the regular owls coming in with letters full of information had been crucial to them working through all the files in the speed they had.

Eventually, Tony walked up to Headmaster Fury's office, armed with an enormous folder full of evidence and a determined expression. It was easy for him to get permission to leave for the weekend on business matters, though he wished he could've taken at least one of his friends with him. They were all taking advantage of the time to catch up on sleep and homework — and other things, if the looks between both Clint and Phil, and Pepper and Natasha were anything to go by. Thor and Jane had annoyed everyone by being sappily adorable during the work, so were less in need of alone time.

After a long weekend of rest and recuperation, in which Tony's phone was flooded with far more texts than he had anticipated, he finally returned late Sunday night. Clint was the first one to see him, having been hanging from the rafters in the corridor outside Fury's office, and between them they rounded up the rest of the group, heading for the Room. It was well past curfew, but none of them cared, gathering in their secret room in pyjamas and dressing gowns, looking very out of place next to Tony in his designer suit. "Oh, Merlin, I've had a really shitty weekend," Tony declared, resting his head against Bruce's back and letting his eyes fall shut.

"Sleep later, Stark. Tell us what happened," Tasha urged, reaching over to poke him in the side. He jolted, glaring at her, but sat up and grinned smugly.

"As of about five hours ago, Stark Industries is officially completely mine — I had to get emancipated and a load of other boring stuff at Gringotts to make me eligible since I'm underage, but whatever. And Obie is now in custody at the Ministry, awaiting trial for corporate fraud, embezzlement and a bunch of other stuff. So hey, win-win. Also, as the owner and CEO of a multi-billion galleon company, I need a PA. Pepper, honeybunch, I need you to sign some stuff so I can hire you, 'kay?" He shut his eyes briefly, and the Room provided a large bed just behind him. He grinned, toeing off his shoes and stripping his jacket, tie and shirt, crawling onto the bed in just his trousers and undershirt.

"What? Tony, don't be ridiculous. Is that even legal?" Pepper asked, stunned. He shrugged, turning to un-bury his face from the pillow so he could be heard.

"Sure, totally legal. Think of it this way; you sign it and I'll be paying you an obscene amount of money to do what you're already doing for free," he pointed out, making her snicker.

"Well, how can I refuse that?" she replied wryly. He grinned, kicking the duvet down to his knees.

"Excellent. Now I'm gonna sleep, so you guys can either join me or go back to bed. Bruce, you don't get a choice in that; get in," the genius ordered, making Bruce snort. Still, he obliged, kicking off his shoes and leaving his dressing gown on top of Tony's suit, clambering onto the bed and allowing Tony to latch onto him like a teddy bear. Steve shifted awkwardly, and noticed he wasn't the only one uncomfortable with watching the pair cuddle. It seemed certain that they were together when they acted like that, but… he just didn't know. "I meant it about joining me," Tony piped up, cracking one eye open to stare at them all. "This bed is big enough for like, twenty people. And common rooms are really far away." The bed grew even bigger in invitation, and Pepper sighed, rolling her eyes but obligingly getting into the bed, curling up on Tony's other side. That seemed to be all Natasha needed, tucking herself neatly against Pepper's back, and one by one they all ended up on the bed, pillows and blankets appearing as needed. Tony was in the centre of the huddle, his head on Bruce's chest and one arm slung over Pepper, leg stretching out to rest on Clint's shoulder as the archer lay intertwined with Phil, whose back was pressed against Rhodey's. Steve was on Bruce's other side, one of the Ravenclaw's arms curled protectively around him, Bucky's head pillowed on his left thigh and Peggy somewhere below his feet. Sif was curled up in the middle of Hogun, Fandral and Volstagg, with Thor by their side with Jane in his arms. Darcy had somehow wormed her way between Steve and Bucky, and Steve was pretty sure her hand resting on his abs was completely intentional. He didn't really mind, though; he could hardly talk, with his hand gently gripping Tony's calf.

It was hard to tell who fell asleep first, and they weren't in the same positions when they woke up — there was the awkward moment of Tony having to explain how he'd ended up on top of Bruce and rolling over to his other side, wedged between Bruce and Steve, and Thor somehow woke with his leg trapped under Volstagg's shoulders, which didn't look comfortable — but none of them could say that they hadn't slept well. Nor did any of them make morning lessons, barely waking up in time for lunch, and it was a testament to how strange they usually acted that not a single person who saw them in the halls on their way back to their common room batted an eyelash at the group of them, sleepy and pyjama-clad, wandering like zombies back to their own respective beds. Or Bruce's bed, in Tony's case, who still needed even more sleep; he just hoped he didn't regret taking on full control of Stark Industries during his OWL year. He never could do things the easy way.


	28. Y5: Seeking Success

_**Title:**__ Seeking Success_  
_**Summary:**__ Natasha tries out for the Slytherin quidditch team, unbeknownst to the rest of her friends. All except one, that is._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 1295_  
_**Pairings:**__ Clint/Coulson, Tasha/Pepper_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Natasha Romanoff would never admit to being nervous, ever. But she came _very_ close stood on the quidditch pitch in a set of Slytherin practice robes, a white-knuckled grip on her broom as she waited for her name to be called. It was the one time she was glad none of her friends were in Slytherin with her; they had no idea it was quidditch trials day, or that she was planning on trying out for the seeker position. She was friends with the seekers on all three other house teams, she didn't want them knowing that she might end up their competition. They'd try and give her tips and advice, and she didn't know if that would be helpful. Besides, she wanted to get the spot on her own merit.

"Romanoff, Black, you're up!" Maria Hill, the team captain called. Natasha liked her; she was also a prefect, and was one of the more diplomatic members of Slytherin house. She was also sort-of friends with Phil, though they didn't talk much outside of class. Tasha stepped forward, mounting her broom and kicking off, flying a lap before getting into position opposite the sixth year boy she was competing against. They'd already been put through their paces on their brooms, and there were only four seeker candidates left after that. All she had to do was catch the snitch before this guy, and she'd be in with a chance.

She watched with sharp eyes as the snitch was released from Hill's hand, and the hunt was on. It disappeared almost immediately, so she flew through the chaser tryouts, and the beater tryouts, keeping her eyes peeled for the slightest flash of gold. Ducking a stray bludger with ease, Tasha made a sharp turn, scouring the sky for any sign of the snitch. Her opponent was trailing her, obviously trying the lazy-man's strategy of allowing the other seeker to find the snitch and then racing them to it. She smirked to herself; that was never a good idea. Jerking her broom sharply, she dove down as if she'd spotted the snitch; predictably, Black followed her. She held the dive for as long as she could, pulling out only at the last moment. She would've hung back a little to see whether he'd fallen for her trick, but she saw a glint out of the corner of her eye and hared after it.

Annoyingly, Black had been able to pull out of the dive before he hit the grass, but he was lagging far behind her, and seemed to think she was tricking him once more. Tasha grinned triumphantly as she grew closer to the fluttering golden ball, stretching out as far as she could without overbalancing, and couldn't hold back the pleased exclamation as her fingers closed around the snitch. She heard Black curse, but didn't pay much attention, turning to fly over to an impressed-looking Hill, depositing the snitch in her hands. "Not bad, Romanoff," she remarked, making Natasha smirk.

"I try." Hill matched her smirk, giving her an appraising look.

"You're friends with the other three seekers, right? Best friends with Barton, dating Stark's PA?" she asked, and Tasha nodded.

"And friends with Sif, yes. That gonna be a problem?" Hill's smirk widened as she shook her head, pocketing the snitch.

"Not unless you make it one. A little friendly competition is good for the soul," she replied, making Natasha snort.

"Something like that." Turning sharply, she ignored the sixth year's glares as she rejoined him and the two other seeker hopefuls on the pitch. Now all they could do was wait for Hill to speak with the rest of the team. Natasha shouldered her broom, turning to watch the chaser hopefuls ducking and weaving through each other, passing the quaffle with ease under the watchful eyes of the one established member of the team. Hill was also a chaser, but was too busy surveying the beaters. Luckily, they all wrapped up pretty quickly, and the four players that were already on the team converged for a discussion. Tasha tried not to eavesdrop on them, shifting from foot to foot impatiently. Eventually, the team parted, and Hill stepped forward.

"Thank you all for coming. All of you are excellent quidditch players, though as you know we only have one spot per position left on the team. Our new chaser is Mr Maxwell, congratulations. Mr Rookwood, you're our new beater. And the seeker position goes to Miss Romanoff." Natasha zoned out the rest of Hill's words, stunned. She'd made it. She was the Slytherin seeker. Her opponents grudgingly congratulated her, shaking her hand, and Tasha dazedly started off back up to the castle, wondering how she could break it to her friends. She'd have to tell them soon; they'd notice her going for practices.

She walked alone out of the quidditch stadium, and nearly had a heart attack when Clint seemingly dropped from the sky, landing by her side with a knowing smirk on his face. "Shit!" she exclaimed, thumping his shoulder. "Do that again and I'll kill you! Where did you even come from?" Clint just pointed vaguely upward, still looking smug.

"So I hear congratulations are in order," he drawled. "You were great out there. Definitely the best choice by far." Natasha glared at him, resisting the urge to hit him on the head with her broomstick.

"You were _watching_?" she hissed, feeling her cheeks turn red. "Why? How did you even know the trials were today?" It was a Saturday; Clint usually spent Saturday mornings in bed with Phil.

"My dear Tasha, I know everything," he informed her, winking. "I keep an eye on these things, y'know, and when I heard you'd signed up for seeker trials I couldn't not come watch you. Looks like the season's gonna be interesting this year. Your first match is against Ravenclaw, right?" She nodded, having checked the schedule.

"Yeah, but you play Gryffindor before that." Clint nodded, rocking on the balls of his feet as they walked.

"I can't wait to see Tony's face when he realises he's up against you," he crowed, grinning. "Ooh, what will Pepper do? Her boss versus her girlfriend, I don't envy her. It's bad enough watching everyone else play each other and have them be just friends." He slung an arm around her shoulders, squeezing tightly. "I'm proud of you, you kicked their butts out there. But for the record, on the pitch? You're going down." She laughed, shoving him lightly.

"Yeah, not gonna happen. Better let Phil know he's gonna need to hold you after you get your ass kicked by a girl when I play you," she retorted, making him snicker.

"Tasha, honey, Phil's already had to do that; Sif beat me last year. And there is no way in hell I'm letting you take me down." He held out a fist, which she obligingly bumped.

"Oh, it's so on, Barton." She pushed her hair from her face, hitching her broom further up her shoulder. "How did you persuade him to give up your Saturday morning, anyway?" He smirked, a perverted look on his face.

"Do you really want to know?" Tasha snorted, shaking her head.

"No, no, please spare me. But if you want to head back to bed with him, I was gonna change and then grab some breakfast to take up to Pepper, I can get you both something." Clint's face lit up, and he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"You're awesome," he declared, already sprinting towards the castle, practically whooping in joy at the prospect of going back to bed with his boyfriend. Tasha shook her head ruefully, an amused smile at her lips. Merlin, he was pathetic.


	29. Y5: Failure To Communicate

_**Title:**__ Failure to Communicate_  
_**Summary:**__ Tony realises he has feelings for Steve, and sets about trying to win his heart. A little difficult when Steve thinks Tony is dating Bruce._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3882_  
_**Pairings:**__ Tony/Bruce, Tony/Steve_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Tony looked up at Bruce, who had his nose buried in a book. "Hey, sugarplum? You know I love you in a totally non-romantic way, right? And we have fantastic awesome sex, like, a lot?" Because Bruce's wolf was really becoming insatiable, and Tony was totally not going to argue with that.

"Hmm?" Bruce queried, setting his book down. They were both on Tony's bed, Tony resting his head on Bruce's stomach.

"I, uh, think that might have to stop soon," Tony admitted reluctantly. Bruce tried not to smirk, giving his friend an expectant look. Tony sat up, shifting until he was cross-legged opposite the werewolf. "I like someone."

"If you want to ask Steve out, that's fine by me, Tony," Bruce told him wryly, looking amused. Tony spluttered, going red.

"Whoa, back up, who mentioned Steve? No one said anything about Steve," he denied quickly, making Bruce snicker.

"Come on, Tony. I know you better than you know you, I've seen the way you look at him, and I can smell how you feel around him, even before he had the serum. I saw this coming a mile off. I'm happy for you, really." Tony frowned, shuffling across the bed and tucking himself under Bruce's arm.

"Okay, so yeah, I really want to ask Steve out. But he'll probably say no, so y'know, whatever. Are you sure you'll be okay? I don't want you getting all wolf-rage-y on everyone because you can't get that itch scratched," he fretted, allowing Bruce to inhale the scent of his hair with a smile. He hoped that if Steve did say yes to him, he wouldn't mind Tony and Bruce still cuddling, because he liked cuddling with Bruce.

"I'll be fine, I promise. I have two perfectly good hands, and if it comes down to it I'll find someone else to scratch that itch," he assured, hand stroking up and down Tony's arm. "And I can't see Steve saying no to you. He's been smitten for you for months, I just don't think he realises it." Tony looked hopeful at that, cracking a tentative smile.

"You're the best," he murmured, leaning up to press a kiss to his friend's lips. "Like, seriously, better than I deserve. And having sex with you has been really, really great. Best summer ever." Bruce's mother had practically jumped at the chance when Tony had asked Bruce to stay with him the entire summer. It had been eight weeks of near non-stop science and sex, and Tony would always cherish it.

"Having sex with you has been awesome too, Tony. Thank you for letting me do this with someone I can trust," Bruce murmured, stroking Tony's jaw with his thumb. Tony snorted, giving Bruce a look.

"You make it sound like I just lie back and take it," he teased, shifting to knock Bruce's book to the floor, straddling his hips. "One more time for prosperity?" Bruce laughed, shaking his head even as he allowed Tony to pull him into a kiss.

"Sure, Tony. One more time for luck. Then I'll pass you over to your blonde boy-toy, you can be his problem," he joked, dodging the swat Tony aimed his way.

"Smart-ass." He accentuated his words with a pinch to Bruce's butt-cheek, unsurprised when Bruce flipped them over and pinned him to the bed with his werewolf strength, grinning playfully. Damn, Tony was going to miss this. Steve would be worth it, though.

.-.-.

His 'friends with benefits' arrangement officially over, Tony set about seeking Steve out. It wasn't that hard to find him; it was too cold for him to be drawing by the lake, which meant he'd usually be wherever the hell Bucky was, in Gryffindor, or using the Room of Requirement as his own personal art studio. Tony was always reluctant to interrupt him when he was drawing, though he wished he could just sit and watch. It always amazed him how Steve could create something so beautiful with just some pencils and a piece of paper.

He caught Steve on his way to the library after dinner, falling into step beside him with a grin. "Hey, how's it going?" he asked casually. Steve smiled at him, running a hand through his hair.

"Not bad; things are starting to die down a lot more now. I can pretty much wander round without being bothered," he replied, pleased.

"Good, good. Hey, did you hear Tasha made Slytherin seeker?" he told the younger boy, smirking. "I get to play against her before any of the others. It's gonna be awesome."

"Yeah, I heard from Pepper the other day. Good for Tasha; I bet she'll be great. Sif's looking forward to the challenge," Steve added. "I was thinking about trying out myself, y'know? The keeper position is open, and… quidditch was always one of those things I was never allowed to do before. I think it could be fun, and I've been practicing with Bucky. He says I'm pretty good." Tony grinned, clapping Steve on the arm in an attempt to get rid of the nervous expression on the Gryffindor's face.

"You should totally try out; it'd be awesome if you made the team. And not just because you'd look hot in quidditch robes, I think you'd be great. Though you can't be too great, because Ravenclaw need to win the cup this year, okay?" Steve laughed, making Tony wonder if his comment about hotness had been missed.

"No promises on that, you guys won it last year. Maybe it's our turn, huh?" he nudged Tony lightly, and Tony rolled his eyes.

"Excuses, excuses. You're too fair for your own good, honeybear. Oh, hey, did you need any help with, uh, whatever you're here for?" he queried as they arrived in the library. Steve shook his head, making a beeline for the Charms section.

"Nah, I'm good on this, though thanks for the offer. Did you have any work to do? I thought you'd caught up after the two weeks out." Steve frowned in concern, which Tony waved off with a lazy grin.

"Oh, I have, I'm good. No, I just wanted to talk to you, see how you were doing. You've been kinda quiet since you got back, y'know?" Tony perched on the edge of the table Steve dumped his bag on, and the blonde shrugged sheepishly.

"Still getting used to all this," he admitted. "Now we're not all too busy to care, I guess I'm worried you guys might find it… weird?" Tony raised an eyebrow at him, reaching out impulsively to squeeze Steve's hand.

"Steve, listen, the rest of the school might be assholes who gawk at every new or different thing, but we're your friends, and I can guarantee none of us think this is weird. As far as we're concerned, you're exactly the same Steve Rogers you were at the end of last year, just a little less likely to be snapped in half by a strong wind. We miss you hanging out with us. Hell, I miss hanging out with everyone; even if we were plotting corporate takeover, it was kinda nice having everyone together regularly. We should make a night for that, or something," he added, pausing in thought before remembering he was halfway through reassuring Steve. "Anyway, my point is, you're not getting rid of us that easily. Especially not me," he added with a bright grin. "So suck it up, and come hang with Bruce and me when we science tomorrow."

"I keep telling you, Tony, science is not a verb," Steve remarked, amused, and Tony knew he'd gotten to him. Perfect.

"It should be," he insisted vehemently. "So you in, or what? There's going to be potions, so probably explosions, you'll love it."

"I won't be intruding?" Steve asked in trepidation. Tony shook his head at the ridiculous question.

"Don't be stupid, of course not. Bruce misses you too. Now I'm going to leave you to do your homework because I'm really good at being distracting but not so good at being a helpful homework-doing environment, so I'll see you tomorrow for science and fun. Promise?" He held out a fist, making Steve chuckle as he bumped it.

"Promise." Tony beamed, leaning in to hug him around the shoulders.

"Excellent. Have fun doing homework, blondie-bear." Before Steve could question the new nickname, Tony was gone, already thinking of the best way to flirt with Steve. So many people seemed to think he was brilliant at flirting, and should have no problem getting anyone he wanted, but that was only the case with friends. Playful flirting came second nature to him, but flirting when he actually meant it usually became a disaster quickly. Thus, the need for careful planning.

.-.-.

Steve stretched out on the couch in the Gryffindor common room, his legs hanging off the edge. It was late, and he and Peggy were the last ones up. Bucky had gone to bed half an hour ago, but Steve was restless and Peggy seemed to have a never-ending essay to finish. "Honestly, Steve, that's the fifth time you've sighed like that in the past twenty minutes; what's bothering you?" Steve bit his lip, trying to think up an excuse, but stopped at the look on the girl's face and sighed once more.

"I think Tony might be trying to cheat on Bruce. With, uh, me," he added, feeling his cheeks turn red. Peggy frowned, lips pursing.

"What makes you say that? You know Tony's a flirt, he's never meant anything by it." He nodded, brow furrowed.

"I know, but it's different now. It's less lewd, more… it's kind-of adorable, actually. He's not very good at it," he said with a fond chuckle. Peggy's eyes widened, and she made a knowing sound. "What? What's that noise for?"

"How long have you fancied him, Steve?" she asked. His breath hitched, but he didn't even bother denying it.

"A while. Merlin, since before summer. I don't know when it started, it kinda crept up on me. But as much as I like him, I'm not going to break up a relationship. I'm not that kind of person, and to be honest I thought Tony wasn't either." It had been nearly two weeks, and the happy butterflies-in-stomach feeling he got when he realised Tony was actually properly flirting with him was constantly warring with his unease at the thought of what Bruce would say if he knew what his boyfriend was doing, and it was starting to make him feel sick.

"Call him out on it, then. See what he says," Peggy suggested, but Steve bit his lip. He didn't think Tony was even aware that Steve knew he was flirting — he was pretty good at playing oblivious — and he figured that was probably his best way of continuing. Maybe Tony would give up if he deemed it too much hard work. He explained his reasoning to Peggy, who didn't look convinced.

"Sometimes the more direct approach is better, but if you want to try it your way first, by all means. Just…" She paused, evidently thinking out her next words carefully. "We all know you've changed a lot physically, Steve, and that's going to get you a lot of attention from a lot of people you'd rather not associate with." Steve snorted; that had already happened. Girls he'd never even spoken to before were asking him out, trying to get him to kiss them, and it was both confusing and a little bit terrifying. "Tony… I can guarantee that if he does have feelings for you — and if he does, he's going about it the wrong way — those feelings will have been there since before you got the serum. He's not the type to ruin a friendship just because he finds your new look attractive, I'll say that much about him." Steve nodded, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"Thanks, I think. Night, Pegs." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, hugging him around the neck somewhat awkwardly.

"Goodnight, Steve. Keep me posted on this, and I hope to Merlin it works out well for you." He gave her a wry smile, straightening up.

"Me too, Peggy. Me too."

.-.-.

The first opportunity Peggy got, she cornered Bucky without Steve and let him know what was going on. She might not be his biggest fan, but he was Steve's best friend and needed to know what was going on. Of course, it took her a day and a half to actually get to Bucky, by which time she'd done some snooping and seen first-hand what Steve was talking about. Tony was definitely flirting — badly, she'd admit, but it was clearly serious flirting. If she didn't know better, she'd say he was trying desperately to get Steve to go out with him, but he and Bruce had all but admitted they were together… it didn't add up.

Bucky was well aware of Steve's feelings for Tony, though he was genuinely surprised by the flirting. "But aren't him and Bruce a thing?" he asked, and Peggy hummed.

"That's the problem. Steve doesn't want to get in the way of their relationship, but… I don't know how long he'll be able to keep saying no to Tony before he cracks. You know what that boy's like when he has a crush." Both of them had been on the receiving ends of said crush, and could agree that Steve was pretty pathetic when he liked someone. Saying no to him had been like kicking a puppy.

"I'll talk to Tony," Bucky promised. "Maybe we all have the wrong end of the stick about him and Bruce. I mean, he is kinda cuddly with everyone." He still had vivid memories of the puppy-pile after Tony had taken back Stark Industries; he didn't think he'd ever slept so well in his life.

"I hope that's the case," Peggy agreed, not looking pleased. If Tony weren't so damn obstinate about those sorts of things, they wouldn't be having these problems. Bucky gave her a rueful look, getting to his feet.

"I'd better go find Tony then, if we're going to be having this talk," he declared, sounding reluctant.

"Do try not to hurt him," Peggy requested, making him smirk.

"No promises, gorgeous. I'll see you later." Tugging lightly on a stray curl before she could swat him away, he ducked out of the room and started off towards Tony and Bruce's lab. Maybe if he talked to them both, he would be less likely to punch Tony, and more likely to get answers.

Ignoring the 'Do Not Disturb: Science Happening' sign, he knocked, pushing the door open without waiting for acceptance. "Yes, Bucky, of course you can come in," Tony muttered sarcastically, not looking up from whatever machine he was messing with. Bruce was brewing a potion, glancing up to offer Bucky a smile.

"Are either of the things you're working on likely to explode if you leave them alone for ten minutes?" Bucky asked, knowing the priorities when you entered Tony Stark's lab.

"Mine isn't. Bruce, how about you?" Bruce stirred the contents of his cauldron, then covered it with a protective spell.

"I'm good. What's on your mind, Bucky?" Deciding to be blunt with it, Bucky looked Tony directly in the eyes.

"Are you two an item?" he asked frankly. "Because if the answer is yes, I hate to tell you Bruce, but your boyfriend has been sniffing around elsewhere." Far from being outraged, Bruce turned to Tony with an exasperated look.

"Oh, Merlin, Tony, I told you letting people assume would get you in trouble one day," he groaned, shaking his head. Tony blinked, understanding dawning on his face.

"So _that's_ why Steve isn't flirting back with me! He thinks I'm with Bruce? Shit."

"So… you two aren't dating?" Bucky asked, just to clarify. Tony shook his head, looking worried.

"No, no, we never were. Tell me, how bad have I fucked up with Steve?" Bucky snorted, shrugging one shoulder.

"Right now, not irreparably bad. He thinks you're trying to cheat on Bruce, but you haven't actually made a move so he doesn't hate you. I'd hurry up and let him know you're single, though, before he decides to punch you in the face. This has really been messing him up, he likes you way more than he should." Tony's face lit up at that, and he got to his feet.

"I need to tell him, then. Like, now," he said urgently, casting hurried stasis spells on his machinery.

"Whoa, whoa, not so fast, Stark," Bucky cut in, holding out an arm to stop Tony leaving. "Why are you doing this? Because if you're just interested now that he's hot, then he's better off without you."

"What?" Tony asked, sounding disgusted. "You really think that poorly of me, Barnes? I liked Steve when he was ninety pounds soaking wet and a medical encyclopaedia of problems. Yeah, the hotness is nice, but… it's not the part of Steve that I fell— have feelings for." Bucky glanced over Tony's shoulder at Bruce, both of them having caught the genius' slip of the tongue.

"Just checking. You break his heart, I break your face, we clear?" Tony chuckled, clapping Bucky on the shoulder.

"Crystal. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get Steve to go out with me." He practically sprinted from the lab, and Bucky looked over at Bruce.

"He's really serious about this, isn't he?" he asked, surprised. Bruce nodded, picking his stirring rod back up and tending to his potion.

"Oh, yeah. He only realised his feelings recently, but… I knew. He's been crazy about Steve since last year, if not longer. If I'd known you all thought we were dating, I would've cleared things up far sooner. We only let the rumours spread to keep people off our backs," he replied, figuring Bucky didn't need to know about the whole friends-with-benefits thing. It probably wouldn't help Tony's case for people to know he and Bruce had been sleeping together for months. He could tell Steve himself, if it came to that.

.-.-.

Tony didn't really draw any odd looks running about the castle like a madman; people were used to it by now. He wished he'd put some sort of GPS in his friends, not finding Steve in the library, the Room, or Gryffindor tower. He was close to just calling the Gryffindor's name at random in hallways when he almost literally bumped into Peggy. "Perfect! Next best thing to the person I was looking for. Have you seen Steve?" He probably looked half-deranged, but Peggy had seen him in worse states.

"He's out by the lake, drawing. Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"I need to go tell him I'm not dating Bruce so I can ask him to go out with me. Ask Bucky for details, thanks Peggy!" he called, already running back down the stairs.

"Hurt him and I'll murder you, Stark!" she shouted back, voice perfectly calm as it echoed around the room. Tony smirked to himself; that was practically her blessing.

Sure enough Steve was sat on his favourite rock, the circle of melted snow around him betraying his use of a warming charm. "Steve!" Tony called, running across the snow-covered grass and wishing he'd brought a coat. "Hey, Steve, you busy?"

"Tony, what?" Steve exclaimed, eyeing him in shock. "What are you doing out here, you must be freezing!" He reached out, bringing Tony inside the warmth of his spell.

"I want to go out with you," Tony blurted, unable to help himself. "Um, please," he added belatedly. Steve frowned, folding his arms over his chest, sketchbook abandoned.

"Tony, look, I really like you but I can't do that to Bruce," he began, reminding Tony of the other thing he needed to tell the blonde. He knew there had been two things he'd meant to remember.

"I'm not with Bruce," he cut in quickly, watching as Steve's eyes went wide. "Bruce and I were never dating. We let people think we were so girls would leave me alone. I had no idea all our friends thought we were together, too.I mean, we had sex, but it was a totally no-strings thing and he told me we could stop at any time if I wanted to have an actual relationship with someone so I think he knew about how I feel about you but he didn't clue me in so I only stopped screwing him a little while ago when I realised that I'm crazy about you and I want you to go out with me." He spoke a mile a minute, and Steve struggled to keep up.

"Whoa, whoa, normal-person speed, Tony," he urged, hands gripping the Ravenclaw's shoulders. "Let me get this right; you and Bruce were never dating, but were… friends with benefits, until you realised that you like me and stopped the arrangement and then you started flirting with me?"

"Pretty much," Tony confirmed, nodding. Steve stared at him for a long moment, then shook his head.

"Geez, you're crazy," he muttered. Tony opened his mouth to object, but Steve covered it with a hand. "I mean that in a good way. I just… I'm really glad you and Bruce aren't together. And I don't mind that you've been sleeping with him, so long as you've stopped. You have stopped, right?"

"Completely. It was more a stress relief thing for reasons I'm sure Bruce will let me tell you. I keep forgetting people don't know — we should fix that, I'll ask him —" Tony knew he was babbling, he always babbled when he was nervous, he couldn't help it. "Come on, Steve, put me out of my misery here, will you go out with me or not?" Steve smiled, taking a tentative step closer.

"Thought you'd never ask," he replied, grinning slightly deliriously, one hand resting on Tony's waist. "That's a yes, by the way. I will definitely go out with you." Tony beamed, resisting the urge to fist-pump triumphantly in favour of the one to wind an arm around Steve's neck, pulling him down into a firm kiss. Steve seemed shocked, but quickly got with the programme, and he brought his fingers to his lips when they parted. "My first kiss," he breathed, and Tony gaped.

"Seriously? Shit, I should've asked first, I'm sorry," he muttered, but Steve laughed, giving him a smile.

"It was perfect. I'm glad you didn't ask," he assured, pressing his forehead to Tony's. "So are we official now?" Tony snorted, giving Steve a patient look.

"What, you mean tell the rest of Hogwarts that the most eligible man in the castle is now my boyfriend? Steve, gorgeous, I'm already thinking on the best way to announce it at dinner. Are fireworks too much?" Steve snorted, pulling Tony into another kiss, this one a lot deeper than the last.

"You're crazy, Tony Stark," he murmured against the Ravenclaw's lips, feeling him smile.

"Your problem now," he replied sweetly. "Bruce says so."

"Does he now?" Steve asked, amused. "Guess I'd better listen to him, then."


	30. Y5: Unwanted Emotions

_**Title:**__ Unwanted Emotions_  
_**Summary:**__ Loki should know better than to keep secrets from Darcy. This, however, is one thing he can't bear for her to know. Of course, she finds out anyway._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 1604_  
_**Pairings:**__ Onesided Loki/Thor, Thor/Jane, Steve/Tony_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Loki tried not to look like he was paying attention as his brother flew past their area of the stands, whacking a bludger towards the Hufflepuff chaser with the quaffle, causing him to drop it as he moved to dodge frantically. "No!" Darcy exclaimed, along with several others adorned in yellow and black. "Damn it! Bad Thor!" Loki snorted despite himself, making the dark-haired girl look over at him and grin.

"Y'know, I won't mind if you cheer for him," she remarked. "He is your brother."

"No he's not," he snapped out of habit, making her roll her eyes. "And do you really think it would be wise to cheer for Gryffindor sat here?" He was sat in the middle of the Hufflepuff stands, among a veritable sea of bright yellow. Darcy had 'Hufflepuff Pride' written on her face in yellow and black letters, and had spelled yellow streaks into her near-black hair.

"Whatever, just lighten up a little, would you? You're bringing down our mojo," she insisted, nudging his shoulder. Loki sighed, looking back to the match, trying to pretend his eyes didn't immediately look for long blonde hair and muscular arms. Thor was happily chasing after a bludger down by the Ravenclaw end of the stands, and Loki could see Tony Stark and Bruce Banner cheering wildly, both with Gryffindor colours painted on their faces. Of course; with Stark and Rogers now together, he was obliged to support the lions despite his many friends on the Hufflepuff team. Gryffindor scored a goal, causing a loud chorus of groans from the Hufflepuffs, but Loki barely noticed. He was too busy watching his adoptive brother celebrating, a breathless grin on his face. Merlin, he was beautiful, it pained Loki to admit. He had always noticed — it was hard not to, with people praising it everywhere they went — but as they had grown older, Thor had grown into even more of a man, looking more eighteen than fifteen. Loki couldn't help but pay attention; he was a teenage boy, and there was no biological imperative warning him away from his brother. He was adopted, there was no blood between them.

He kept his feelings buried deep, though, knowing what kind of hell he'd go through for letting them become known. Their parents would probably disown him in disgust, Thor would finally turn away from him for good, and he'd be labelled a freak, a pervert. Even had Thor not been madly in love with Jane Foster, Loki hardly stood a chance. He was nothing special, and Thor was… everything.

The crowd around him suddenly burst into mad cheering as Clint Barton's fingers closed around the snitch, securing them the win — if only by twenty points; the Gryffindor chasers were strong this year, and Steve Rogers was a surprisingly adept keeper. Darcy cheered loudly, hugging him around the neck and pressing a smacking kiss to his cheek, probably smudging some of her face paint off on him. All he could see was Thor's disappointed face, even as he congratulated the Hufflepuffs and his fellow teammates. It had been a good match, from both teams. "What is with you today?" Darcy asked, turning shrewd eyes on him. He shrugged, not meeting her gaze.

"I have a lot on my mind, is all," he replied evasively. He'd managed to keep her off his trail thus far, he hoped he could do so for at least a little longer. But Darcy was like a dog with a bone when she sniffed something out, and nothing would distract her from getting answers.

"Okay, that's it, come on." She grabbed his hand, tugging him through the crowd down to the stairs to join the rest of the people leaving the stadium, no doubt for a celebration party in Hufflepuff.

"You're going to miss the party. Darcy, where are we going?" Loki spluttered in protest as she dragged him away from the rest of the school, towards the edge of the lake.

"The party will be fine without me," she assured, stopping just below the large oak tree next to the water's edge. "Now you're going to tell me why you've been so mopey since school started back. At first I was going to let you sort out your own problems, but this has gone on way too long." Loki sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. Of course she'd noticed.

"It's really none of your business, Darcy, I can deal with it myself," he began, only for her to cut him off.

"Clearly you can't." He resisted the urge to hex her, giving the girl a glare. Why was he friends with her again?

"It's my own weight to bear, and I won't bring you into this. I can't expect you to keep secrets from him, nor Jane!" he snapped, realising too late what he'd given away. Darcy made a triumphant noise, eyes alight.

"So this is about Thor! And Jane, too? Something to do with their relationship?" she asked, frowning slightly in thought. "Ooh, did Thor cheat on her in the summer with some rich pureblood girl? Wait, no, this is Thor we're talking about, he'd never do that." Loki tried not to visibly wince, well aware that there was nothing that could tear him from his Lady Jane. "He's not getting like, an arranged marriage or something, is he? You purebloods do that, right?"

"I'm not a pureblood," Loki reminded her, somewhat harshly. "And no, he's not been betrothed. I mean it, Darcy, don't follow this line of questioning."

"I'm only trying to help you, Merlin! It's what friends are for. No need to bite my head off about it," she grumbled, offended. "Maybe I can help, y'know? Talk to Thor or whatever so you don't have to."

"Don't!" Loki blurted before he could control himself. "Don't talk to him. Please. He mustn't know, ever." Darcy's eyes widened at his vehemence, and she held up her hands placatingly.

"Okay, whoa, cool it, I won't say anything, chill. Not that I know what I'm not meant to be saying," she pointed out. Loki swallowed around the lump in his throat, hating how the panic had risen against his will.

"He can't find out," he insisted. "It would… it would ruin me. He can never know, or he'd finally realise how worthless I am to him." He'd given away too much, clearly, for Darcy's mouth fell into a small 'o' of understanding.

"Oh, baby," she breathed, pulling him into a hug before he could argue. He struggled for a moment, but couldn't resist the comfort and let his head fall to her shoulder, pretending his eyes weren't stinging with tears. Merlin, he was pathetic. "He'd never find you worthless, even if he found out how you feel about him. He loves you, you know."

"He loves me as a brother," Loki pointed out, voice slightly hoarse. "And that is worse than him not loving me at all. These things will pass, Darcy, in time. I… I can never have him, I know that much. But it's too painful to be around him when my own heart has betrayed me like this. I know you want me to talk to him, to spend time with Sif and the fair Warriors, and I do miss them, but… they would only ask me to talk to Thor, and that is something I cannot do. Do you understand?" He felt her nod, and she hugged him tighter.

"Of course, yeah, I totally get that. Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry, but it's not your fault, y'know? You can't help who you fall for, and Thor… doesn't exactly make it easy not to like him. He's got the whole muscles and hair and smile thing going on, it's not fair on the rest of us mere mortals." Loki chuckled wetly, and Darcy grinned. "There we go, that got a laugh out of you. Don't feel bad about this, okay? He's your adopted brother, so it's not all weird and incest-y." She ran her fingers through his long hair, kissing his temple. "I hope you can get past this, Loki, I really do. I don't like seeing you sad." He snorted lightly. Even she couldn't see a situation in which Thor returned his feelings, evidently. He wished it were so easy to just _stop_ loving someone.

"You're a good friend, Darcy," he murmured. "Far better than I deserve." She giggled, pulling back to give him a grin.

"I think that's my decision to make, hmm?" she pointed out. "Come on, let's go join in the party, that'll cheer you up," she urged, taking his hand. He sighed biting his lip.

"I think I'd rather just go back to Slytherin, if it's all the same to you," he replied honestly. "You go have fun with your fellow badgers, though. I'd only be reading, it would bore you." She eyed him in concern, hand still in his as they walked back to the castle.

"You sure? We can grab some ice cream from the kitchens and bitch about how much guys suck, if you want?" Loki laughed despite himself, lips twitching in a brief smile.

"Tempting, but I'll pass. Thank you, though, Darcy." He pressed a brief kiss to her cheek, making her smile.

"Anytime." They split up in the Entrance Hall, Loki heading down to the Slytherin dorms, and as soon as he knew she couldn't see him he let his shoulders slump once more. Honestly, he rather thought he'd be better off without stupid things like _emotions_. They were far more trouble than they were worth.


	31. Y5: Movie Night Revelations

_**Title:**__ Movie Night Revelations  
__**Summary:**__ Bruce finally comes clean to his friends about his furry little problem, and it goes down far better than expected.  
__**Wordcount:**__ 2093  
_**_Pairings:_**_ Steve/Tony, Clint/Coulson, Tasha/Pepper, Thor/Jane  
__**Year**_**_:_**_ Five_

* * *

Steve figured that most people would probably find it weird to be cuddling in a single bed with your boyfriend and your boyfriend's best friend, but since getting together with Tony, it had become a fairly normal occurrence. He and Tony had plenty of alone time, of course — Bruce was very aware that they needed their space, to the point of being somewhat awkward in making excuses to leave them alone — but after the two Ravenclaw boys had explained to Steve Bruce's furry little problem, as Tony liked to call it, things started slotting into place for the blonde. How Bruce spent a lot of time in the hospital wing, got a lot of headaches and occasionally became snappish and short-tempered for no reason, and was very affectionate with his close friends. Tony had told his boyfriend that Bruce needed the scent of pack around him to keep calm — and also given the reasoning behind their little friends with benefits arrangement, which Steve couldn't really argue against especially now it had stopped — and, well, Steve kinda liked spending the occasional evening in Ravenclaw with Tony on his chest and Bruce by their side, legs all tangled together. It was relaxing.

His eyes fell half-shut as Tony's fingers carded through his hair, feeling Bruce deeply inhaling both their scents from where his face was pressed to Steve's shoulder. "Y'know, we should have a movie night or something," the blonde suggested quietly, fingers tracing shapes on Tony's back. "Get everyone together in the Room of Requirement. You were saying how you'd missed hanging out as a group, Tony. It could be fun." He paused, biting his lip. "And, uh, maybe you could use it to tell the others about Bruce." Bruce stiffened, clearly uncomfortable, and Steve rested a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "They deserve to know, and I can't see any of them taking it badly. They're hardly prejudiced people."

"Steve's got a point, sugarplum,"Tony pointed out softly. "They'll end up figuring it out on their own anyway sooner or later. The moons are getting harder on you, don't pretend they're not." Every month Bruce was coming back with more and more cuts and bruises, and it was killing Tony to see his friend in so much pain. According to Healer McCoy, it was perfectly normal for a werewolf in the height of puberty; the wolf was growing, and as such would be in pain each time it shifted. The wolf's natural response was, of course, to scratch and bite at the pain in an effort to make it stop.

"What if they don't take it well, though? I mean, Steve, you're… Steve. You couldn't condemn anyone unless they murdered your entire family," Bruce remarked, making the Gryffindor flush. "But some of the others, especially the purebloods, there's no telling how they'd react. I don't want to cause any trouble." Tony pressed a kiss to Bruce's cheek, tapping him scoldingly on the nose.

"You're family and they love you, Bruce. They'd never condemn you, you won't cause any trouble. Just… think about it, hmm?" Bruce sighed, nodding reluctantly, and Steve shared a smile with Tony. Bruce would probably relax so much more once his secret was out amongst their friends. He was always tiptoeing when they were together, only speaking when spoken to and not making any waves. Tony had been telling him for years he needed to strut, and maybe he'd be able to once he was more comfortable, once they knew. Steve had been incredibly surprised at seeing the difference between Bruce with the others and Bruce with just him and Tony, and wished the others could see him being himself; he knew they'd love him even more for it.

"I should get going, it's almost curfew," Steve declared, looking at his watch. Tony whined, hugging his boyfriend tightly, and Bruce laughed when Steve swung his legs over the edge of the bed, standing up with Tony still clinging to his chest. "C'mon, Tony, I have quidditch tomorrow morning, I need my sleep." Tony sighed, letting his feet touch the floor, and leaned up to press his lips to Steve's.

"Fine, fine. Want me to walk you back to Gryffindor?" Steve shook his head, digging his jumper out from underneath Bruce's back.

"Nah, I'm good, thanks. G'night, Bruce." Bruce smiled, giving him a wave.

"Night, Steve. See you tomorrow." Tony nudged the door open, leading Steve down the stairs to the Ravenclaw common room. They only got a few smirks from people in there, and Steve blushed when Jane wolf-whistled playfully from her place curled up by the fire. It was only fair, he supposed, after the treatment she got whenever she stayed late with Thor, though she too had yet to stay the night with her boyfriend.

"I'll see you tomorrow, gorgeous," Tony murmured, leaning in the doorway once Steve had stepped into the corridor outside. The younger boy offered a smile, giving Tony one more shy kiss.

"See you tomorrow. Sleep well." Tony winked, grinning.

"With you in my dreams, I always do," he replied, just to make Steve blush. It worked.

.-.-.

With plenty of prodding from Tony, Bruce eventually agreed to the movie night idea, with the intention of coming clean to his friends. They picked a weekend when they knew everyone would be free, and brought pyjamas and a change of clothes so there would be no sneaking back to common rooms at three in the morning. Tony, Bruce and Steve got to the Room first to start setting up, arms full of popcorn and drinks and other snacks, and with the brief thought there was a large cinema screen covering one wall, and several beanbags and sofas scattered around so everyone could have a seat. The Hufflepuffs and Natasha turned up first, also bearing food, and the Gryffindor group with Jane arrived shortly after. "What are we watching?" Rhodey asked, raising his eyebrows at his long-time friend. "Because if you're the one picking movies, I'm going back to my dorm." Tony gave the boy an offended look, punching his shoulder.

"You wound me, honeybear. My taste in movies is fantastically awesome," he insisted, and several people in the room snorted skeptically.

"I picked the movies," Steve volunteered with a smile. "But if there's something else you'd prefer to watch, I'm sure we can get it in here." Rhodey shrugged, shaking his head.

"Nah, man, whatever's cool." As everyone started calling dibs on seating and food, Tony walked over to Bruce, who was almost visibly shaking.

"You can do this, Bruce. Remember; strut. Everyone in this room loves you." Bruce nodded determinedly, taking a deep breath and clearing his throat once everyone had settled down.

"We, uh, kinda had ulterior motives in getting everyone together today," he announced, wincing when his voice wavered. "I have something I need to tell you all, and well… I'm not sure how you'll take it."

"Whatever it is, Bruce, I'm sure it'll be fine," Pepper insisted, frowning in concern. Both Steve and Tony placed hands on Bruce's back in silent support, and he focused on the touch as he gathered his courage.

"I'm a werewolf," he blurted. "I have been since I was seven. Up until a couple of weeks ago, Tony was the only other person who knew, but we told Steve, and, well… I figured it was time you guys knew as well. I understand if you, uh, don't want to be friends with me anymore. I won't hold it against you." He resisted the urge to squeeze his eyes shut, waiting for any sort of reaction.

"Oh, Bruce, that's awful!" Jane breathed, a horrified look on her face. "Oh, that must be so terrible for you."

"You were bitten when you were seven?" Phil asked, as pale as chalk. "How did you even survive?" Bruce wasn't surprised; if anyone knew the statistics, it was Phil.

"I don't really know," he replied honestly. "My mom bought a silver-lined cage to keep me contained, and… there's a place I go, when I'm here, to keep everyone safe. Fury set it up for me. But I'm getting older, and bigger, and… it's getting really, really hard to keep control now. Tony thought if I had more people in the know I might find it easier."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Peggy asked, surprising him. He was still in shock that no one had tried to hex him yet.

"What? Uh, not really, I mean—"

"Bruce needs hugs," Tony cut in. "Like, lots of them. The wolf calms down when it can scent pack, so cuddling is all good. There's not really much we can do for him during the transformation, though. I'm working on a cure, but… it's hard going."

"We can do hugs," Pepper assured, smiling. Bruce gave her a grateful look, feeling the panic start to abate.

"See, the thing is, the wolf goes through puberty too," he explained. "And… it kinda sucks. So I apologise now if I lose my temper with any of you, I really don't mean it, and I don't want to upset anyone. But sometimes it just all gets too much; my senses are enhanced, and it's even worse at the moment. Sounds can be too loud, colours too bright, and Merlin, the smells around here. Hormones suck when they're your own, let alone everyone else's." That gained a few snickers, and Tony squeezed Bruce's shoulder.

"We were having sex, before," the billionaire said shamelessly. "To help Bruce deal with all the arousal he gets from being in a castle full of teenagers, and to help him relax. But obviously, now I'm with Steve, that's not happening, so he's getting kinda cranky again." Several people blushed, but most nodded in understanding, having been friends for too long to be stunned by anything sexual Tony could possibly say.

"If, you, uh, need the release," Fandral piped up tentatively. "I would not object to having relations with you when it all becomes too much. I have been assured I'm quite the skilled lover." Darcy giggled, and Bruce flushed red.

"Thanks, Fandral. I'll, um, keep that in mind." He doubted he would take the blonde up on it, but… the option was there.

"Anything else we need to know, or can we start the movie? Because I'll be honest with you, guys, I'm running out of popcorn already," Clint announced, making Phil roll his eyes as the others laughed.

"Sure, I'll get the lights." With a muttered spell by Tony, the lights went out and the screen lit up, playing the opening credits. "Told you they'd be okay with it," he added under his breath, pecking Bruce on the cheek.

"I believe someone mentioned cuddling," Darcy declared, grabbing Bruce by the hand and dragging him into the middle of the beanbag pile. "So get to it." She shut her eyes briefly, and there were several yelps as the beanbags and sofas were replaced with a large bed scattered with pillows and blankets. "I call dibs on Thor!"

"Uh, girlfriend privilege!" Jane protested, shifting to rest her head on Thor's stomach before Darcy could claim it.

"Fine, Steve then." Tony shook his head, pulling Steve close and wrapping around him like an octopus. "Ugh, you suck, Stark. Bruce, honey, come here." Not waiting for affirmation, Darcy tucked herself into Bruce's side, bringing his arm over her shoulders. Bruce smiled, touched when he realised he was the centre of the puppy pile, his wolf practically purring in the back of his mind at having all his pack together and happy. _Pack_. Bruce didn't know when that term had extended to include people other than Tony, but he liked it.

"Stop thinking so hard, sugarplum," Tony scolded softly as the movie began, one of his legs thrown over Bruce's even as he cuddled up to Steve. Bruce could feel several people pressing up against him, or limbs stretched over towards him, and his grin widened when a small, perfectly manicured hand slipped into his own. Craning his neck, he saw Pepper with her head on Tasha's hip, the Slytherin's fingers playing with her hair. Clint and Phil were beside Natasha, as her head was on Phil's thigh. Pepper brought his hand to her lips, kissing it gently, and he could see her mouthing 'love you' at him in the darkness. He beamed, mouthing the words back at her. He really was the luckiest guy in the world, to have friends like them.


	32. Y5: Mistletoe and Wine

_**Title:**__ Mistletoe and Wine_  
_**Summary:**__ The Yule Ball finally arrives, and the firewhiskey in Clint Barton's flask will make sure that it's the best party ever._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 6617_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony, Pepper/Tasha, mild Darcy/Fandral, Clint/Coulson, Thor/Jane_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

November arrived surprisingly quickly, and suddenly the only thing anyone could talk about was the Yule Ball. Even the first and second years, though for them it was complaining; and jealousy directed at those few lucky second years who had scored an invite from someone in the year above. Hogsmeade's two clothes shops had all but sold out of dress robes, and large packages had been arriving from home every mealtime for the past few weeks. There wasn't a single person above third year who wasn't going to the ball; even Loki was going, at Darcy's prodding. He just hoped Thor didn't attempt to coerce him into a dance, he didn't think he could control his tongue if he did.

Mid-November, with the ball a month away, and Tony Stark was waiting in the stands of the quidditch pitch, watching the Gryffindor team wind down their practise. Steve's blonde hair was darkened with sweat, and his cheeks were pink from the cold, but he was grinning. Tony had to squish down the sappy thought that he'd never looked more gorgeous. "Spying, Stark?" Peggy called, looking amused as she let her hair fall from its band, draping in wind-mussed curls over her shoulders. He stepped out towards the pitch, offering a grin.

"Waiting for you to finish," he corrected. "And wondering if your keeper might give me a few moments of his time." Steve's grin widened, and he passed off his broom to Bucky.

"I think I can pencil you in," he replied lightly, breaking away from his team to meet Tony, leaning down for a shy kiss that neither would admit to getting flutters from. Steve still seemed a little awkward about PDA, like he was expecting Tony to push him away, but he was getting better. Tony was trying to restrain himself from lounging all over his boyfriend like he had with Bruce, knowing a lot of people didn't appreciate that.

"Walk with me?" the Ravenclaw asked, smiling when Steve's arm slipped around him. They left the pitch, heading towards the castle at a slow pace.

"What brings you down this early in the morning? Did you get enough sleep?" Steve fretted, eyeing the ever-present dark circles under Tony's eyes. Tony stifled a smile, nodding.

"Yes, _Mom_," he retorted playfully. "Pepper dragged me out of the lab at like, ten last night, I'm fine." The redhead had, of course, known of his plans, and hadn't wanted him to oversleep. "See, I don't know if you've heard," he began, more nervous than he'd necessarily like. "But there's kind-of this ball thing going on in a few weeks. Celebrating Christmas and all that." His voice was falsely casual, and he tried not to look at how Steve's grin grew wider in anticipation. "You know I have a reputation to think about," Tony continued. "It won't do me any favours if I don't turn up with someone gorgeous on my arm. And I can't think of anyone in this castle more gorgeous than you." He smiled at Steve's predictable blush, and the blonde gave him a look.

"Are you asking me to the Yule Ball, Tony?" he asked, voice slightly teasing, and Tony felt himself flush.

"Pretty much, yeah," he agreed. Steve leaned in, pressing his lips briefly to Tony's.

"I'd love to go with you," he replied, and Tony let out a silent sigh of relief. "But, uh, I don't know how to dance." Tony blinked, perplexed.

"What? Oh, not a problem. I'm not so much a fan of the formal dances, but one of the girls will probably kidnap me for them. I won't put you through that torture," he assured, waving a hand dismissively. Steve nodded, and they went back inside the castle, immediately appreciating the warmth.

"So I guess I'll have to tell Bucky he's gonna have to find someone else to go as friends with, huh?" Steve mused, and Tony raised an eyebrow.

"What, that was your plan? Oh, honeybear, I'm so glad I asked you. Going as friends with Bucky would've been _tragic_. Can't he ask Peggy?" Steve snorted, giving his boyfriend a look.

"You really think she'd put up with him?" he pointed out. Tony grinned wryly, conceding the point. "He'll go on his own, it'll be fine. He won't be the only one." The only ones of their group who actually had dates were those who were already dating. Clint and Phil had been planning to go together since it had been announced, Thor had asked Jane loudly and with roses three weeks ago during dinner, and Pepper and Tasha had been turning down guys left right and centre, so it was assumed they'd be going together. "I should head back up to Gryffindor," Steve said belatedly, looking down at his mud-stained quidditch robes. "I need to shower and change before breakfast." Tony pouted, letting out a quiet whine of protest.

"But I like you all sweaty," he argued playfully, giving the blonde a leering look and watching his face go red. Tony laughed, lightly pushing Steve's chest. "Go on, hot stuff, go make yourself presentable. I'll see you at breakfast." Gripping the front of Steve's robe, he pulled him close and planted a long, languid kiss on his lips. Only then did he release him, offering a wink before turning away towards the Great Hall.

.-.-.

The day of the Yule Ball, the castle was abuzz with activity. They'd all been thrown out of the Great Hall after an early lunch in order for the prefects and teachers to decorate the hall. By five, the prefects were also ejected, leaving the teachers to finish things off before the ball began. The castle corridors were empty as the prefects made their way back to their houses, and Peggy and Fandral's eyebrows shot up when they slipped through the Gryffindor portrait hole. The common room was near-empty, but the noise trailing down the dormitory stairs betrayed where the entire house were. "This is where we part, then," Fandral remarked wryly, offering Peggy a short bow before stepping towards the boys' staircase. "And I wish you the best of luck entering the battleground that will be your dormitory. From what I heard from Sif, the rest of the girls are joining you."

"Oh, Merlin," Peggy muttered, making the blonde laugh. "I'll see you in a few hours." Hurrying up the stairs to her own dorm, Peggy tentatively knocked on the door before opening it, staring in shock at the scene that greeted her.

"Hey, you're here! It's about time!" Darcy called, grinning. "Get your butt in the shower, missy." The only Gryffindor in the dorm was Sif, and Peggy was unsurprised that her roommates had taken refuge elsewhere. Probably in Sif's dorm, with the two girls in there. Darcy, Jane, Sif, Pepper and Natasha were all wearing dressing gowns, freshly showered and smiling. Darcy had pinned hers up in rollers, and was happily painting her toenails green. Natasha was sat in front of the mirror doing her make-up, Pepper and Sif were drying their hair, and Jane was hunting through a jewellery box — probably for the earrings she'd been determined to wear, and had therefore lost. Peggy merely shook her head in dismay, grabbing her washbag, dressing gown and towel and disappearing into the bathroom.

When she returned to the common room, Tasha had finished her own make-up and was doing Jane's, under Darcy's watchful eye as the youngest girl did her own. Pepper was straightening her hair, Sif's hair was dry and tied back in a high ponytail, and someone had unearthed their StarkPlayer for a little background music. Peggy suspected Darcy; it was mostly muggle pop music. "Rollers are over there," the Hufflepuff told her, gesturing to Peggy's bed. "I borrowed a couple of yours, sorry." Peggy smiled, shaking her head and going over to get her rollers and the hairdryer. Their dresses were hanging in garment protectors from the top of the wardrobe, and Peggy couldn't stop glancing over at hers and smiling.

"Should you two be getting ready together?" she asked Pepper and Natasha teasingly, and both redheads rolled their eyes in near-unison.

"It's a ball, not a wedding," Natasha retorted, carefully applying Jane's lipstick. "It's not like we're not allowed to see each other."

"Besides, my roommates kicked me out for their own thing," Pepper added, finishing her hair and reaching for her make-up bag. "It was this or get ready with Clint and Rhodey, and there are some things I just don't need to see in life."

"I would not object to seeing that," Darcy piped up, making Pepper snort.

"Of course you wouldn't," she replied dryly, shaking her head. "I'm surprised you haven't snagged one of the boys to be your hot date for the night."

"Why would I grab one of them when I can arrive single and dance with all of them?" Darcy retorted smugly. "All the man-candy for me. Except Steve, Tony probably won't let anyone touch him. Damn shame."

"I dunno, if you ask nicely enough he won't be able to say no," Jane told her. "Tony appreciates your evil mastermind potential. He's more likely to grant you favours."

"Sweet!" Darcy crowed, fist-pumping. With a quick flourish, she finished her mascara, checking her face in the mirror. Both she and Peggy were going for a 40s-style look, with bright red lipstick and dark mascara. Jane's make-up was very natural, Pepper barely had any on at all, and Sif's made her cheekbones look even more defined, but was otherwise quite minimal.

When their make-up was done, and Darcy and Peggy had both unpinned their rollers to let their hair loose — Peggy's in sleek victory rolls, and Darcy's in elaborate curls that seemed to be held together only with magic and a can of hairspray — the dresses were finally removed from their garment bags. The rest of it all went in quite a blur, shoes and jewellery being found and put on, last minute touches to hair and dresses being done, and the occasional kiss between Pepper and Natasha when the other girls were too preoccupied to tease them for it, and then they were finally ready.

"We look hot," Darcy declared, staring at them all in the mirror.

"I have to agree with you there," Pepper replied, smirking with her arm around Tasha's waist. The Slytherin looked deadly in a sleek black dress, her red hair in free curls framing her face and a simple silver necklace to match her earrings. Pepper was equally stunning in a blue dress with a low back that clung to her curves, her heels impossibly high. Jane's dress was a paler blue with a puffy skirt, her hair in a half ponytail. Sif seemed far older than her fourteen years in a dark grey and burgundy shimmery dress with elaborate beading that matched the metal clasp holding her ponytail back. Darcy's dress was a bright green vintage number, matching her green peep-toe heels and making her eyes seem even brighter. Peggy, on the other hand, had a red dress with ruffles around the bust, the same colour as her lipstick.

"I suppose we'd best go see how the boys clean up, hmm? It's almost time." It was ten to seven, and as dinner began promptly at seven-fifteen, there was no being 'fashionably late'. They weren't the only girls descending the staircase to meet the boys, but it was easy to see their group when they got to the common room; Steve and Thor towered over all others. Jane giggled when Thor's jaw dropped visibly, and the blonde bowed low over her hand when she offered it, kissing it tenderly.

"Lady Jane, you are the most radiant vision I have ever been blessed with seeing," he declared firmly, his eyes fixed on her as she blushed.

"And you should definitely wear dress robes more often," she replied. "They suit you." His robes were black and grey with deep red accents, and made him look every bit the young pureblood lord he was. All the boys looked very dapper; Steve blushed when Peggy leaned up to peck his cheek.

"Tony won't be able to keep his eyes off you," she declared with a grin, making him blush. Volstagg grinned at Sif, tugging her ponytail gently.

"Look who's grown into a proper young woman, then?" he teased. "You look very beautiful, my lady. You all do."

"We will most definitely be entering with the loveliest ladies at the ball," Fandral agreed, smiling widely. "Shall we head down? Friend Steve is most anxious to see his beau." Steve blushed even darker, but allowed Peggy to slip an arm through his. Sif allowed Volstagg to accompany her, Thor wound Jane's arm through his own, and Darcy eyed up the three remaining boys contemplatively.

"You're with me," she said to Fandral, taking his arm, and he grinned at her, bringing her hand to his lips.

"My lady," Hogun offered to Pepper, who broke away from Natasha with a smile. Bucky looked at Tasha, smirking.

"Guess you're with me then, Red." She rolled her eyes, allowing him to take her arm.

"Fantastic," she deadpanned.

.-.-.

Tony fiddled anxiously with his bowtie, yelping when Bruce slapped his hand away. "Stop messing with it, it looks fine," the werewolf insisted.

"Fine isn't good enough, Bruce!" Rhodey snorted at his friend's words, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"Stop fussing, loverboy. You're making it worse," he informed the genius, who looked aghast, immediately dropping his hands from his bowtie. It was a muted gold, matching the trim on his dress robes. They were a dark wine red, and his shirt was a brighter, Gryffindor red. He insisted he'd picked out the colours before he'd asked Steve out, but Bruce thought he was lying.

The Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff boys contingent of their group was waiting in the Entrance Hall for the group from Gryffindor Tower to arrive before going in and grabbing a table. Clint and Phil were quite happily making puppy eyes at each other, as they had been since they'd seen each other in the corridor outside their dormitories. Phil's robes were a classic black, while Clint's were a dark purple that suited him surprisingly well. Tony had to admit they made a pretty hot couple. Rhodey's dress robes were olive green and pressed to the point of perfection, while Bruce had gone for a more emerald green, the dark purple bowtie Tony's influence.

"They should be here soon," Tony muttered, glancing at his watch.

"Is patience not in your dictionary?" Phil asked wryly, arm firmly around Clint's waist. Tony opened his mouth to retort, but his jaw slackened as he looked at the stairs.

"Oh… sweet… Merlin," he breathed, stunned. That drew the attention of the others, and Clint let out a low whistle when he saw the remainder of their group descending the stairs.

"Wow," Bruce murmured, sounding somewhat dry-mouthed. Tony spared a brief glance for the ridiculous attractiveness of his entire friend group, before his eyes were drawn back to Steve once more. His dress robes were a deep sapphire blue, his bowtie a similar dark red to Tony's robes, and his blonde hair was combed neatly to the side. Tony definitely needed to commend the tailor down in Hogsmeade; those robes fit _perfectly_. The blonde's face lit up when he saw Tony, and Clint sniggered when Steve missed a step, almost falling down the stairs if not for Peggy keeping him upright. The Gryffindor prefect smiled knowingly when she saw Tony, releasing Steve's arm when they got to the bottom of the stairs. Tony strode across the hall, stopping a few feet in front of Steve.

"Hey," he greeted, glad when he sounded suave instead of stupid. "Have I mentioned that you are really, really attractive in dress robes? I mean, wow. Just… wow." Steve turned almost as red as his bowtie, but he smiled the soft, fond smile that was reserved for Tony.

"You look amazing," he murmured, resting a hand on Tony's hip. "I love the colours."

"I'm all about the red and gold," Tony replied with a wink. "Though I don't know if I should be jealous; you arriving with a beautiful woman on your arm. Showing me up," he mock-complained, pressing a kiss to Peggy's cheek.

"Well he's all yours now, Stark. Look after him," she replied, patting his cheek, a serious expression on her face despite her smile. Tony nodded earnestly.

"I'll treat him like a prince," he promised, placing his hand over Steve's and squeezing briefly.

The two groups converged, compliments flying back and forth — once Clint and Rhodey picked their jaws off the floor in the face of the girls — and when the Great Hall doors opened, Tony offered a hand to Steve. "Shall we?" he drawled, grinning. Steve accepted the hand, and they walked in with Clint and Phil arm in arm on Steve's left, and Pepper and Tasha on Tony's right. Behind them Jane and Thor walked beside Volstagg, Sif and Hogun. Fandral moved to release Darcy's arm, but she gripped it tight, offering him a smirk.

"You're staying with me, hot stuff, and we are making an entrance," she declared. He laughed, nodding, and walked at her side.

"As m'lady wishes," he agreed. Peggy reluctantly allowed Bucky to escort her in, once he pointed out that a woman as beautiful as her shouldn't enter unescorted. Rhodey mock-gagged behind her back, earning a dark look from the Gryffindor boy.

They found a table big enough to accommodate them all, and while conversation started Tony was too busy staring at Steve to really take part. "The prefects really outdid themselves decorating, huh?" Steve murmured, leaning in so Tony could hear him. Tony glanced around; the hall was a veritable winter wonderland, with ice sculptures on every table and snow-covered Christmas trees with live fairies dancing from branch to branch.

"Yeah, it looks great," he agreed, reaching over to twine his fingers with Steve's, playing with the boy's larger hand. "I apologise now for the creepy amount of staring at you I'm likely to do tonight, but I can't help myself" he added frankly, making Steve duck his head, flushing.

"I don't mind," he mumbled shyly. "I'm glad you like it." Tony smirked, letting his eyes trail slowly up Steve's form.

"I like," he assured, a slow grin tugging at his face. "I like a _lot_." Steve was saved having to reply when the tables covered with food, plates appearing in front of each of them. Quiet music started up in the background, the string quartet on the stage playing themselves. Tony glanced at Clint across the table, who had a definite flask-shaped bulge in the breast of his robe. After dinner, the party would really start.

.-.-.

Darcy gave her fellow Hufflepuff a discreet high-five when he snuck off to go spike the punch bowl when the dancing started up, offering Fandral a smirk. "I'm going to go find Loki. You coming?" she asked, knowing Loki did actually sort-of like Fandral.

"If he would have me, of course," the blonde agreed, standing so Darcy could take his arm, both of them wandering through the crowds until they spotted the shy Slytherin, looking incredibly regal in his black and green robes.

"Wow, Loki, you clean up nice," Darcy declared with a teasing grin, bussing a kiss against his cheek. "Fandral came with me because he's my man-candy until one of us gets bored, okay?"

"Do I have a choice in the matter?" Loki replied wryly, though he offered Fandral a nod and the briefest smile. Fandral beamed back, though knew better to clap the boy on the shoulder like he wanted to. "You look stunning, Darcy." Darcy grinned, giving an obliging twirl to make her dress flare out.

"Thanks. You owe me at least one dance tonight, okay mister? I won't make you come talk to Thor or anything, but you are not allowed to lurk in the corner all night," she instructed, poking him in the chest.

"I'm sure Lady Sif would also like to dance with you tonight, Loki. You know how she feels about the rest of us," Fandral added wryly, making Loki actually crack a small grin. Through their childhood, Sif had always been of the firm opinion that Loki was the only competent dancer of the boys, and would always commandeer him when they had to dance at their parents' formal parties. Fandral was an acceptable substitute, and Hogun's dancing was passable, but Sif never danced with Thor or Volstagg more than once in a night, for fear of her toes.

"I believe I could oblige her. I have missed dancing with her," Loki admitted. Fandral braved reaching out to squeeze the younger boy's shoulder.

"She has missed dancing with you, too. And if you would permit me, I would also like a dance with you later on. It has been quite some time since the two of us took to the floor," he said with a grin.

"If you can pry yourself away from your fangirls long enough to spare a dance for me, I will allow it," Loki agreed, smirking.

"Oh, that I can't wait to see," Darcy remarked excitedly, rubbing her hands together. "And hey, you're welcome over at our table anytime, alright? I know you probably won't because, well, Thor, but… the offer's open." She took Loki's hand in hers for the briefest moment, seeing his eyes flicking to Thor sat with Jane on his knee, talking jovially with Volstagg and Rhodey. She knew it wasn't Thor's fault, and he had no idea, but she still wished he wouldn't be so… loved-up when Loki could see him. It was hurting her friend, and it sucked.

"I can't make any promises," he said eventually, giving her an imploring look. She smiled, nodding, and released his hand.

"Well, hopefully you'll come over and see us. Even if it's only for that dance," Fandral replied. They were interrupted when the music changed, growing louder as the dance floor cleared of tables, making it very clear that the dinner part of the ball was over. "Darcy, I believe I promised you the first dance," the blonde boy declared, offering a hand to the Hufflepuff. She grinned, taking it.

"Catch you later, Loki. Try and loosen up a little!" she urged, laughing as Fandral dragged her out onto the floor, starting up a lively waltz.

"You're good for him, you know," Fandral told her, a smile on his face. He spun her out, then pulled her back close, surprised at how good a dancer she was. "He's always needed a friend like you."

"He's good for me, too. And he underestimates himself; he's a lot more fun to hang out with than he thinks he is," she replied, giggling when he dipped her. "You're good at this."

"So are you," he complimented, stepping into something a little more difficult.

"I've been taking dance classes since I was like, five," Darcy explained. "Ballet, tap, modern, but I mostly do swing now. If they play something a little more jazzy later on, I'll show you. I know Tony can dance swing." He was Howard Stark's son, he'd been in dance classes since he could walk.

"I look forward to seeing it," Fandral replied, coming to a neat halt when the music stopped and bowing to her. She curtseyed, allowing him to escort her off the dance floor back to their table, and surveyed the crowd. She had to pick her next partner.

.-.-.

The ball was well and truly underway, and it was a definite hit with the students. Fury seemed to have given up trying to keep his eye on them, sitting at the head table with a despairing look on his face, and it was now becoming quite clear that the punch wasn't exactly non-alcoholic. Only one bowl had been spiked, Clint wanting to leave the option open for those who didn't want to get drunk, but someone was pedalling Firewhiskey, they could tell.

Pepper smirked to herself as she and Natasha danced together, gaining more than a few looks from the male population of the school. The formal music was over, a selection of wizarding and muggle pop and rock music having taken over the room, and the dancing was starting to get a little indecent. Tony was lucky that Steve knew he and Bruce weren't romantically inclined, because the way they were dancing definitely looked like they were. Darcy was dancing close by with Thor, Jane, Sif and the boys, though it was clear that Volstagg and Thor weren't the best dancers in the world. "I don't know whether half these guys here are jealous of you or me," Natasha said loudly enough to be heard over the music, smirking.

"Definitely jealous of me," Pepper insisted with a laugh. "But I think more of them just want to be in the middle of us." Natasha's smirk widened, and she looked over at their group of friends, laughing at Tony trying to teach Steve how to grind on Bruce.

"Hey, Hawkeye!" she called, watching the archer's head snap up. His hands were on Phil's ass as they danced, and they were almost as close as she and Pepper were. She jerked her head at him, beckoning him, and he pecked Phil briefly on the lips before coming to join them. Phil didn't seem to mind, allowing Peggy to drag him into a dance.

"What's up, ladies?" he asked, offering them a grin as he sidled between them, an arm around each of their waists.

"Wanna make some guys jealous by dancing with us? I've barely seen you all night, loser," Tasha told him, looping her arms around his neck to dance close by him.

"Is that even a question?" he retorted, easily moving to the beat with Tasha at his front and Pepper at his back. "You girls are lucky Phil's not the jealous type," he teased, and Pepper snickered.

"Oh, please. Like you'd know what to do with a woman," she replied playfully, patting his cheek. "Nice eyeliner, by the way. Not a lot of guys can pull that off, but… yeah. Hot." He flashed her a grin and a wink, grinding up against her.

"Thank you, beautiful. And just because I don't like lady parts doesn't mean my boyfriend shouldn't be jealous of this," he joked.

"Is this a private party, or can anyone join in?" Tony cut in, playfully smacking Clint's ass as he moved in to kiss Pepper's cheek. "Honeybunch, if you dance like that much longer, some of the boys are gonna have some very embarrassing stains on their trousers." She laughed, sliding an arm across his shoulders.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" she asked innocently, making him smirk.

"And this is why you're my favourite. Don't tell Steve."

"I already know she's your favourite," Steve assured his boyfriend, making him jump as he realised the blonde was behind him. Steve placed his hands on Tony's waist, leaning down to speak in his ear. "I'm gonna go get a drink, maybe sit down for a while. This whole dancing thing really isn't my style."

"Want me to come with?" the Ravenclaw asked, but Steve shook his head, smiling.

"Nah, you're having fun, it's fine. I'll catch you later. Pepper, Tasha, it's not nice to tease the poor boys by dancing that lewdly," he added, eyeing the two girls in light reprimand.

"If they weren't such perverts to be staring in the first place, we wouldn't be," Tasha retorted, reminding him of how many boys had been staring when the two girls had slow-danced together.

"Fair enough. Make sure, this one keeps his hands to himself, would you?" he teased, and Tony let out an offended noise, twisting his head and reaching up to pull Steve into a kiss.

"You're the only one I'm putting my hands on, gorgeous," he promised. "But our friends don't count. They all have such nice butts, it's really hard to not touch!" His voice came out as a whine, and Steve laughed, knowing Tony had had more than a few glasses of spiked punch.

"Okay, our friends don't count," he agreed with an eye-roll. "See you later." With that he slipped off into the crowd, and Pepper laughed when Tony watched him go, eyes on the blonde's backside.

"Come on, Stark; you owe me a few more dances before the night is through."

.-.-.

The evening was beginning to wind down, and the music was the type to slow-dance to, though it was still pop music. Most of the third years had gone to bed, as well as a lot of the fourth and fifth years, but their group were still making the most of it. Tony could see Darcy dancing with Fandral once more, and wondered if there was something more going on there — only time would tell, he supposed. Close to them, Sif danced with Loki; they'd danced a rather impressive foxtrot together early in the evening, and Tony was sure he'd seen the Gryffindor girl dragging Loki out during some of the more muggle music. Maybe Sif would persuade Loki to hang out with them, or at least Thor, a little more often.

Eyes landing on the person he'd been looking for, Tony let the soft smile cross his lips, wandering over to where Steve was sat at this table. "Hey, handsome," he greeted, startling the blonde, though Steve immediately smiled at him. "Wanna dance?" He hadn't actually danced with Steve all night, not properly. Dancing together as a group didn't really count.

"Oh, uh, I dunno, I," Steve stuttered, looking nervous. Tony tried not to frown.

"Come on, it's really easy. Just put your arm around me and shuffle on the spot," he encouraged. Steve bit his lip, shrugging.

"Maybe the next song," he said reluctantly. Tony's frown deepened, and he pulled up a chair opposite Steve, leaning in close.

"Any reason you don't wanna dance with me? I won't take 'I can't dance' as an excuse." Steve sighed, leaning his head on his hand.

"When my Dad was alive, there used to be music playing in the apartment all the time," he began, and Tony listened intently. "My Mom loved it, and when he was home he'd always dance with her. In the kitchen, the living room, wherever; if there was music on, Dad would just grab her by the hand and dance with her. I remember when I asked him about it, he said… he said that he loved to dance with her because it gave him an excuse to hold her close and never let go, and that's what people did when they were in love. After he died… well, I haven't seen her dance since." Tony let out a small hum of understanding, squeezing Steve's knee.

"I'm sorry," he started, but Steve shook his head.

"I've never danced with anyone like that," he continued as if Tony hadn't spoken. "Bucky took dance classes when we were younger, but I refused. We had school dances and stuff when we were little kids, but I never slow-danced with anyone, or danced with just once person. I guess… I've always been waiting for the right partner. I don't know." He shrugged, biting his lip. "I just… it's hard to explain."

"You don't have to explain yourself, I get it," Tony replied, offering a smile. They'd barely been together a couple of months, he wasn't surprised Steve didn't feel comfortable enough to dance with him yet if that was how he felt about dancing. It did surprise him, however, that despite knowing how Steve felt about dancing, Tony still _really_ wanted to dance with him. To show him how he felt, that way.

"I'm sorry," Steve said apologetically, but Tony cut him off with a kiss.

"Don't be," he urged, pushing a few stray strands of blonde hair back from Steve's forehead. "You don't wanna dance, you don't have to. Not when it means so much to you. You deserve to have the right partner." They sat close together, not speaking, until the song ended and there was a pause in which Professor Pym announced that the next song would be the last one before bed. Suddenly, Steve stood, startling Tony.

"May I have this dance?" he blurted, shocking the Ravenclaw boy.

"What? But, Steve, what about…?" Steve shrugged, offering him a shy smile.

"I've been waiting all these years for the right partner. I think I've found him," he replied, sounding completely sure of himself. Tony blinked, then dazedly slipped his hand into Steve's, allowing the blonde boy to lead him onto the dance floor. Seeing Steve wasn't really sure what to do, Tony helped position him, then rested his head against Steve's shoulder. It was times like this he appreciated the height difference between them.

They were silent for most of the dance, Tony letting his eyes fall shut as he basked in Steve's presence, loving the long arm wrapped securely around him, the large hand in his own against Steve's chest. "Dancing all you thought it would be, blondie?" he asked quietly, lips brushing Steve's neck. Steve looked down at him with a smile that took Tony's breath away.

"And more," he replied honestly, voice husky. Tony grinned, then caught a glance of green and white out of the corner of his eye. Looking up, he snorted, making Steve frown. "What?"

"Look behind you." Steve twisted, letting out a laugh at the sprig of mistletoe bobbing above their heads. Looking around the room, he saw Rhodey sat at their table with his wand out, a smirk on his face.

"Guess we'd better follow the rules," Steve murmured softly, lifting one hand to gently cup Tony's jaw. Tony's smile widened, and he leaned up on his toes for a kiss, hand slipping from Steve's shoulder to grasp the back of his neck, fingers threading through the short blonde hair. Merlin, he was _so_ screwed.

.-.-.

The ball was technically over, and with no music in the Great Hall most people were retreating back to their common rooms, bowties undone and high heels in hand, several going back with people they'd arrived with, and even more with people they hadn't. Phil wondered how many new couples had been created by the ball, and how long they would actually last.

It didn't surprise him to find his boyfriend sat high in a Christmas tree in the courtyard, tossing baubles at couples making out in the bushes. "Really, Clint?" he called, amused. Clint grinned when he spotted his boyfriend, neatly jumping from the tree and landing with only a slight stumble, offering Phil a jaunty salute.

"Heyyyy, hot stuff," he drawled, leering. Phil rolled his eyes, slipping an arm around the blonde's waist.

"Party's over, Hawkeye. It's bed time, everyone else has already gone up," he informed him, feeling the younger Hufflepuff leaning heavily against him. Phil wondered how much he'd had to drink; he could smell the Firewhiskey on him.

"Oooh, taking me to bed, are you?" Clint asked with a smirk, pressing himself against Phil's chest, one hand creeping down to cup his ass. "I think I can get down with that." Sighing, Phil started half-dragging Clint out of the courtyard, glad the Hufflepuff dorms weren't as far as say, Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. Clint's lips pressed to his neck, hand working clumsily at the buttons of his shirt.

"Can't you wait until we're somewhere private before undressing me?" Phil requested in exasperation. Clint snickered, shaking his head.

"Nope, want you naked now," he insisted. Phil snorted, pulling him up into a kiss to distract him.

"Aren't you a charmer," he muttered dryly. He managed to hold Clint off until they got up to his dorm — Phil wasn't surprised to see his roommates were absent, probably with their own girlfriends — but then the archer started at Phil's clothes with renewed determination. "Slow down, Clint." The blonde shook his head, pushing Phil's dress robes off his shoulders.

"Merlin, Phil, so sexy," he breathed, finally getting his shirt undone enough to make it join the robes. "Want you to fuck me." Phil froze, eyes going wide. It wasn't like that was something Clint hadn't voiced before, but it had never been said so _urgently_.

"Clint, you're drunk," he said with a shake of his head, pushing him away. Clint pouted.

"No 'm'not. Just a little tipsy," he insisted, dropping his own robes and tugging his bowtie off. "Sober enough to know I want you."

"See, I don't think you are," Phil said calmly, trying not to let his eyes linger as Clint stripped off his shirt, quickly reaching for his belt to let his trousers fall to the floor. The tent in his boxers was obvious, and it was affecting Phil more than he wanted it to. "Come on, Clint, let's just go to bed. You want me that bad, sober up, then we'll talk." He wanted to have sex with Clint, a lot of the time it was all he ever thought about, but… not like this. He wanted them both to be able to properly enjoy it.

"What's the problem, baby? Don't you want me?" Clint whined, undoing Phil's belt with nimble fingers. Phil sighed, wrapping his arms firmly around Clint, pinning him to his chest.

"You know I want you," he said, voice coming out as a growl. "I've wanted you for so long. But you're drunk, and I'm not taking advantage of you. I have more respect for you than that." Clint struggled a little, trying to get a hand inside Phil's trousers, but eventually relaxed in his arms.

"No sex?" he asked, sounding forlorn. Phil gave him a soft smile, shaking his head.

"No sex," he confirmed. "Trust me, you'll thank me in the morning." Figuring Clint was in no state to brush his teeth or wash the eyeliner off his face, Phil nudged him into bed, slipping off his shoes and trousers and ducking quickly into the bathroom, slipping into bed beside his boyfriend when he was done. Clint didn't hesitate to cuddle up close in the single bed, head resting in the crook of Phil's neck.

"M'sorry for gettin' drunk," he mumbled, dropping an apologetic kiss on Phil's collarbone. Phil stroked Clint's hair, humming softly.

"It's okay. But maybe you'll learn your lesson now, huh?" He felt Clint smile, the younger boy hugging him closer.

"Love you, baby." Phil, for once, didn't even protest the nickname, letting his eyes fall shut.

"Love you, too. Even if you are kind-of an idiot." Clint snuffled a laugh, arm tightening around Phil's chest. Phil was not looking forward to the talk they'd have to have in the morning. Still, it had been a damn good night.

.-.-.

Nick Fury surveyed the disaster zone that was his Great Hall, having finally kicked the last couple out of the courtyard bushes. There were some parts of his students that he really, really didn't want to see. He let out a sigh, shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest. "Never again," he declared vehemently. "I don't care what the school board say, I am never doing this shit again."

He turned his back on the hall, letting the house elves take care of it. He needed some peace and quiet, and a stiff drink or two.


	33. Y5: Holiday Hangover

_**Title:**__ Holiday Hangover_  
_**Summary:**__ Clint faces the aftermath of the Yule Ball, and as Hogwarts breaks up for Christmas some goodbyes are harder than others._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2237_  
_**Pairings:**__ Clint/Coulson, Darcy/Fandral, Steve/Tony_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Clint's head was pounding when he woke, and he let out a low groan. "Good morning, sleeping beauty," Phil murmured, sounding amused. Clint groaned again, squeezing his eyes shut against the light and burying his face in Phil's soft t-shirt.

"God, what did I do last night?" he croaked, feeling Phil's hand cup the back of his head.

"You really don't want me to answer that." There was something odd in the older boy's tone, and it made Clint uneasy. He desperately cast his mind back to the previous night; he remembered arriving at the ball, Phil looking ridiculously sexy in his dress robes. Dinner, then spiking the punch, then dancing, more dancing, a couple of shots of Firewhiskey… and then it was all a bit of a blur. Shit.

"Please tell me what I did to piss you off last night," he requested with a wince, tentatively cracking one eye open. Phil wasn't smiling, but he didn't look angry, so Clint supposed it couldn't have been too bad.

"You got drunk and tried to have sex with me. And considering you don't remember that, it's a good thing I turned you down." Clint felt as if he'd had a bucket of cold water thrown in his face, and the churning of his stomach was completely unrelated to his hangover.

"Oh, fuck," he muttered, forehead pressing against Phil's sternum. "Shit. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. Merlin, I'm a shitty boyfriend." He felt Phil's lips against his head, and the prefect's hand stroked his back gently.

"No you're not. You just think you can handle more than you actually can," he replied.

"Yeah but I shouldn't have put you in that position," Clint argued. "That was a dick move."

"It was," Phil agreed, nodding. "But you were drunk, so I'll forgive you. And hey, at least you propositioned me and not some random guy who would've taken you up on your offer," he reasoned. Clint felt sick at the thought of someone else touching him when he was too drunk to know it wasn't Phil.

"Never drinking again," he declared fiercely. Phil snorted.

"I'll believe that when I see it," he retorted lightly. "Don't beat yourself up over it. Everyone does stuff they regret when drunk; that's why they have boyfriends who stay sober to keep them out of trouble," he added with a faint grin, pulling Clint up into a soft kiss. "Just please, never do that to me again. Having to stop my drunk boyfriend from taking my virginity was not how I wanted to end the night." Clint winced once more, kissing Phil's jaw in apology.

"Never again, I promise. Thanks for saying no; I want our first time to be perfect." Phil smiled at him, shifting to get a little more comfortable.

"Me too. And I'd like it if at least one of us were overage when it happened," he added wryly. He'd be turning sixteen in January, and Clint would turn fifteen two weeks after on February 5th. They could wait a little longer, there was no rush. Phil was firmly of the opinion that fourteen was too young for Clint to lose his virginity, and Clint agreed with him — though that didn't stop him from really, really wanting Phil to fuck him. But he was happy going slow and doing other things.

"M'sorry," he said again, hugging Phil close "Love you." Phil let out a long breath, nose pressed to Clint's cheek.

"I know you are, and I forgive you. I love you too, you know I do. It's why I want to take our time on this," he reasoned quietly. Clint tilted his head to meet the older Hufflepuff's eyes, smiling.

"I'm totally okay with waiting. And I know that whenever we do decide to go all the way, it's going to be amazing," he murmured confidently. He then smirked, giving Phil a leering look. "Apology blowjob?" Phil snorted, tugging him into a kiss.

"Shower," he corrected. "Then maybe." Clint smirked, allowing Phil to drag him out of bed, despite his headache. His eyes fell to the prefect's ass as they headed for the bathroom, and a smirk tugged his lips. Yeah, he wanted to wait, but he was _really_ looking forward to tapping that.

.-.-.

The Hogwarts Express wasn't leaving until the day after, so the Sunday after the ball was spent not only nursing hangovers and sleeping in, but frantically packing and saying goodbyes. Darcy had actually been organised for once and packed most of her things the day before the ball, so she only had to throw her essentials in on Monday morning. This left her free to go for a walk on Sunday afternoon, as she desperately needed some time to think.

She shoved gloved hands in her coat pockets as she walked, snow crunching under her boots. The ball had been… awesome. Everyone seemed to have had a really good time, and no one in her friend group had cried, which was always a plus. She'd seen plenty of girls crying — particularly from the upper years — and what had looked like quite a few break-ups, but those were standard with a school party. She smiled to herself as she remembered the enthusiastic jive she'd gotten Tony to dance with her, the impressed looks on their friends' faces at their moves. She'd known Stark wouldn't let her down.

That wasn't what was on her mind, though. All her friends were happy, except for Loki, but there was very little she could do to help him. No, for once her worries were for herself. She'd had a really good time hanging out with Fandral last night, and despite her plan to switch arm-candy several times throughout the night whenever the other guys would let her, she'd always found herself returning to his side after dancing with one of her other friends. He'd looked very handsome in his grey and gold robes, and she'd been the object of jealous looks all night whenever he finished dancing with one of her many fangirls and took Darcy's arm in his. He'd enjoyed himself too, she thought, but… she didn't know what it meant now. Had it been a friends thing? She wasn't really sure, and it was driving her crazy. With a huffed sigh, she started back towards the castle, the cold starting to get to her.

She froze when she saw a familiar blonde head of hair by the doors, wondering how long Fandral had been sat on the steps watching her. He offered a faint smile when he saw she'd noticed him, getting to his feet. "You looked troubled, so I thought it best not to interrupt you," he told her by way of greeting, frowning when he saw her shivering. "You must be freezing, here." He pulled out his wand, casting a warming charm on her, then fell into step beside her. Darcy tried not to blush, their shoulders brushing every other step.

"You're up early," she remarked, making him smile.

"Thor's snoring woke me up," he explained. "I swear, he's ten times worse when he's been drinking. Good luck to the lady Jane is all I can say." Darcy giggled, and he looked at her askance. "And you? It can't be a regular thing for you to walk in the snow so early on a Sunday. Unless you like that sort of thing." She shrugged, watching a rabbit bound across the snow towards the Forbidden Forest.

"I like to walk when I need to think. And the snow's nice," she added.

"What thoughts are weighing down that pretty head of yours, Lady Darcy?" he queried, making her flush faintly.

"Well, I, uh… listen, about last night…" She trailed off, realising how that sounded, but he merely chuckled.

"The same thoughts I'm dealing with, then?" he asked ruefully. "Darcy, forgive me; may I be frank with you?" she nodded, and he took her arm in his, bringing her to a halt. "I had a lot of fun with you last night. You're a very good dancer, and quite the conversationalist. And… you looked beautiful, in your dress," he added with the soft, roguish grin that melted the knees of almost every girl in the school. Darcy was no exception.

"I'm sensing a but here," she presumed, making his grin falter.

"But I will be sixteen in a week," he continued. "And while I have no doubt you will be a most formidable woman… the age gap is a tad too large for me, at present." Darcy was one of the youngest in her year, and wouldn't be fourteen until late June. "I don't want this to affect our friendship, however. On the contrary; I hope we can become better friends through this, as I truly do enjoy spending time with you." She smiled at him, tucking her hair back behind her ear as a breeze sent it flying.

"I understand, I was kind-of thinking the same thing. And we can definitely be better friends, and then I can make your fan-club jealous by hanging out with you," she added, smirking when he laughed.

"That sounds like a perfect plan. You'd have thought most of those girls would have given up by now," he mused. She gave him a pointed look.

"Maybe they would if you didn't keep occasionally dating them," she teased in reply. The Gryffindor held a hand to his chest as if shot, laughing.

"You wound me, my dear," he cried, but she merely rolled her eyes, smiling.

"There is one thing I want to do, though. Before we decide on this whole 'definitely friends' thing." He raised an eyebrow at her words, and she took a deep breath before rising up on her toes, leaning in to press her lips softly to his. It was hesitant — she'd never done this before, and had no idea what she was doing — but luckily he responded, easing her into the closed-mouth kiss. He smiled at her when they parted, one hand cupping her face.

"You are going to make some handsome young man the luckiest person in the world, I hope you're aware," he told her, and she could feel her face heating. "It is a shame that I shall not be that man, but there are others far more deserving of you."

"Charmer," she muttered, making him laugh.

"Well, they do say I'm rather good at it," he replied smugly. She snorted, smacking him lightly on the shoulder.

"Merlin help the poor woman who ends up with you," she joked, even as she slid under his arm and leant into him, heading back up towards the castle doors.

.-.-.

The castle was awake early Monday morning, students gathering in the Entrance Hall with trunks and pet cages ready to go down to Hogsmeade station and catch the Express home. Tony Stark was not one of those students; he didn't really have much to go home to, and he could do his Stark Industries work from school. He had permission from Fury to leave when and as needed to check in with things in the offices, but otherwise he was happy to stay in school and keep Bruce company. Steve, however, was heading back with Bucky, as he did every year. Tony was currently hoping that if he held on tight enough, the blonde wouldn't be able to leave. "It's only four weeks, Tony. I'll be back before you even start to miss me," Steve insisted, amused as he tried to pry his boyfriend off him.

"I've already started to miss you and you're not even gone yet," Tony argued petulantly. Steve couldn't help but smile at that, tugging Tony into a kiss.

"You're such a sap," Steve muttered fondly. The Ravenclaw didn't deny it, not letting go of Steve's waist. "I'll text you, and call you every day. And Bruce has your Christmas present, so he'll make sure you don't open it until Christmas Day." Tony whined in protest, pouting.

"Aww, honey, totally not fair. Your present is in your trunk, I had Bucky put it in for me. I know you're too damn goody-two-shoes to open it before Christmas," he teased, making Steve grin as he hugged Tony tightly.

"I need to get going," Steve said eventually, cheek pressed to his boyfriend's hair. "Don't want the train to leave without me."

"Would that be such a bad thing?" Tony argued, earning a light swat.

"Yes, it would," Steve insisted, chuckling. "Come on, walk me to the hall." Tony sighed, but let go of Steve enough to walk beside him. He paused on the steps before letting Steve join the rest of their friends who were going home for the holidays, leaning up to kiss him, uncaring that half the school was watching. Steve was, by now, too used to Tony kissing him in public to bother too much, lips moving gently against Tony's own. "I'll miss you," he murmured softly, stroking Tony's lightly stubbled cheek.

"I'll miss you too, handsome. Have fun with your Mom and Bucky." Steve smiled, kissing him briefly once more before grabbing his trunk and hauling it over to stand between Bucky and Pepper, the other Gryffindor boy clapping him on the back. Tony leant against the banister, watching them for several moments, before turning away to go find Bruce. They had science to do.


	34. Y5: Animal Instinct

_**Title:**__ Animal Instinct_  
_**Summary:**__ After a somewhat reckless idea from Clint, the Avengers start a plan to aid their furriest member; without his knowledge, of course._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 1463_  
_**Pairings:**__ Clint/Coulson, Steve/Tony, Pepper/Tasha, Thor/Jane_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Clint absently hung from the trapeze swing by his knees, casting light spells at targets that appeared out of nowhere. It was a favourite activity of his since they'd found the Room, but he was barely even paying attention, merely using it to pass the time while he waited for the others to turn up. Phil was sat on the couch below, watching him, and Natasha was perched on a chair, occasionally sending hexes his way just to catch him out.

The door opened, and Thor and Jane turned up with Sif, Peggy and the boys. None of them seemed surprised by Clint's position, but he neatly flipped down anyway; it was rude to trapeze when you had guests. Within the next few minutes, the others turned up, and Tony glared at Clint when he saw the Hufflepuff. "Why isn't Bruce here?" he asked, eyebrows raised. "I am not okay with Bruce not being here."

"This is the kind of thing I don't want to talk about in front of him," Clint began to explain, and Tony's glare darkened.

"If you have a problem with him, Barton, you'd better go through me first, because I swear to Merlin—"

"Relax, Stark! This is about helping him," Phil cut in calmly. Tony let out a long breath, visibly deflating.

"Well, okay then," he said curtly, as if he hadn't just been ranting. "Carry on." Clint snorted, and Phil swept an arm as if to say 'the floor is yours'.

"I've been doing some research," the archer began. "Into animagus forms. I've been looking at it since before we found out about Bruce — I thought it would be cool to turn into an animal — and then since he told us, I've been wondering. Bruce can't have humans around when he transforms, right? But maybe if we were animals, we could hang out with him during the full moons and then we could distract him so he wouldn't hurt himself." Tony stared at him, jaw slightly slack.

"Why the hell didn't I think of that?" he muttered, and Clint snorted.

"Because sometimes the obvious escapes you?" he retorted, though he was smiling. "So you think it could work?"

"I think it's worth a shot. And either way, it'll be pretty cool to be an animagus, right?" Tony pointed out, smirking. "It's a spell, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Clint agreed, nodding. "There's one spell to learn your form, and then there's a mix of meditation and spellwork to learn how to access it. It's not easy, and you can't choose your form."

"You mean we don't get to pick what we can be? Lame," Darcy remarked, frowning. "What if we end up something really stupid like a flamingo or whatever?"

"Then you don't have to go through with learning to access your form. You guys don't have to do this if you don't want to, I just thought it would be a good idea for those who do," Clint told her, shrugging his shoulders. "I mean, I learnt the spell, so if you want to find out your form and then decide…"

"I'm totally in," Tony declared without hesitation, making Clint smirk. Pulling his wand, he muttered the spell with a quick, complicated wand motion, and Tony was covered in a glowing blue light. There was a brief pause, before that light left him and pooled on the floor in front of him, rising to form the image of a grey-brown animal that looked like a cross between a fox and a wolf. "Awesome. What is it?" Tony asked, staring at the animal as it sat, staring straight back at him.

"It's a coyote," Phil told him, studying the animal carefully. Tony's grin widened, and the animal faded away.

"Sweet. Okay, okay, books on coyotes…" He turned expectantly to the nearest wall, and sure enough a bookshelf appeared, full of books on various animals. Tony found one on canines and sat in the nearest armchair, flipping it open.

"Do me next," Steve requested, stepping forward. Clint nodded, casting the spell once more, and the light formed a German Shepherd dog with its head held high.

"Aw, awesome, we're both canines!" Tony crowed happily, shifting over so Steve could join him in his chair with a book on breeds of domestic dogs. Tasha requested to go next, her light forming the small image of a spider, which she had to kneel down to get a good look at.

"The Black Widow spider," she informed them with a smirk that sent shivers down the spine of every male in the room. "Not much help to Bruce, but will still be cool to learn how to transform." As she went to get her book, Phil tapped Clint on the shoulder, gesturing to himself. Clint smiled proudly at the large elk that formed out of Phil's light, seeing the faintly surprised look on his boyfriend's face. Elk were strong, noble creatures, and Clint thought it suited Phil perfectly.

Thor turned out to be a large brown bear, which wasn't too surprising, and Jane smiled happily at the gambolling otter her own light became. Darcy fist-pumped when she found out she was a fox, and Rhodey grinned widely at the panther in front of him. Pepper was a squirrel, which Tony teased her for because it matched her hair, earning a smack across the back of the head. Steve could tell Bucky was let down by his eagle form, despite the grin on his face; knowing his friend, he'd have wanted something big that he could run around as. Still, Steve thought it suited him. Peggy gained plenty of teasing — mostly from Bucky — when her form appeared as a cougar, until she reminded him that her form could probably eat his without too much trouble.

Sif seemed fairly pleased to be a hedgehog, and Fandral turned bright red at the peacock that formed from his light, attempting to keep a straight face while the others teased him for his preening. Volstagg and Hogun were a meerkat and a bobcat respectively, and when they were both looking for books Tony looked up at Clint. "Everyone's done but you now, Barton. I'd have thought you'd go first."

"Spell can't be performed on yourself," Clint explained. "Probably a failsafe to make sure you don't try this thing alone." Tony nodded, getting to his feet.

"Teach it to me." Tony, being Tony Stark, took barely ten minutes to learn a spell that had taken Clint almost two weeks to learn, and performed it on the Hufflepuff with the rest of the room watching. When an animal formed, Clint couldn't help but snicker.

"Wow, okay, I totally saw that one coming," he said amusedly, watching the hawk soar across the room before fading. "Awesome; guess I'll really earn the nickname 'Hawkeye'." He glanced at his watch, cursing. "We should get going, it's almost dinner time and Bruce will be suspicious if we're all gone at the same time."

"I'll do some research on the transformation process, email it to you all," Tony assured them, the books disappearing as they all got up. "And maybe see if there's a potion that will speed things up a little." He took Steve's hand, dragging him out of the chair and towards the doors. "Come, Steve! First, food, then we science!" he exclaimed dramatically, striking a pose. Steve rolled his eyes, wrapping an arm around Tony's waist and picking him up, still in his dramatic pose as they left the room.

"Why am I friends with him, my god," Rhodey muttered, shaking his head. He left with Pepper, who was trying to persuade Bucky to learn how to transform, insisting it would be useful even if he couldn't run with Bruce. Darcy was insisting to Sif that they and Pepper were now woodland BFFs and it would be awesome, her voice echoing through the corridor even as she attempted to be quiet. Clint looked to Phil and Tasha, who were the last ones left in the room with him.

"Am I the only one who finds it hilarious that the girl dating a girl is a Black Widow?" Clint queried, knowing better than to put a label on Tasha's sexuality. The last person who had called her a lesbian had needed their nose re-set by Healer McCoy.

"No, I definitely find it amusing. But also great that once I learn to transform, none of you will ever be able to see a spider without wondering if I'm eavesdropping on you," she added conversationally, slipping her arm through Phil's as the prefect took Clint's hand. Clint gulped, sharing a look with his boyfriend and making a mental note to see if there was a way of warding against spiders. Or animagi.


	35. Y5: Determination Pays Off

_**Title:**__ Determination Pays Off_  
_**Summary:**__ Bucky has always had luck with the ladies. Except when he needs it the most._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2064_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony, Bucky/Peggy_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Bucky had been unusually quiet recently, and it was beginning to worry Steve. He hadn't been obviously down, or seemed upset, just more… thoughtful. Bucky didn't do thoughtful, not unless something was wrong. "You okay, man?" Steve queried quietly as they settled down to bed one evening. Bucky raised an eyebrow, giving him a grin.

"Yeah, fine," he insisted, only to falter when Steve gave him an expectant look. "Okay, not so fine," he admitted. Steve waited patiently for Bucky to tell him what was wrong, watching his friend run a hand through his hair, making it stick out in tufts. "How would you feel if I, uh, asked Peggy out?" the shorter boy blurted hurriedly. "I mean, you used to have that crazy thing for her, and she's always kinda been your girl."

"Buck, that was like two years ago! I'm way over that, I'm with Tony now," Steve pointed out with a chuckle. They both knew that he felt far more for Tony than he had ever felt for Peggy. "And if she is my girl, it's just as friends. I think it'd be great if you asked her out; you could do with someone to keep you on the straight and narrow," he teased. Bucky glared lightly in mock-offence, though he was smiling.

"Really? You wouldn't mind?" Steve rolled his eyes, tossing a pair of balled up socks at his best friend.

"Of course not, you moron, why would I? You know that if you hurt her feelings I snap you in half, best friend or not, so we're all good here." Bucky snorted, nodding emphatically.

"Oh, all too well, my friend." His smile softened, and he laid down, tugging his duvet up to his chin. "Thanks, soldier."

"Good luck with her, man, that's all I can say," Steve replied, burrowing into his own bedding. Peggy wouldn't be like all those other girls who fell into Bucky's arms with just a wink and a smile. Steve thought it'd be good for his friend; Peggy would make him work for it.

.-.-.

Steve was lucky to be present for Bucky's first attempt at asking out Peggy; it was, in short, a train wreck. "Hey, baby," the Gryffindor started out with a cocky smirk, and Peggy looked at him flatly, unimpressed.

"What do you want, Barnes? I'm busy," she asked shortly. Bucky's smirk didn't falter, and he sidled closer in an attempt to place an arm around her shoulders, which he quickly aborted when she bent to get a textbook from her bag, almost hitting him in the face with it when she straightened up.

"I was wondering if you felt like escorting me on a date tomorrow evening, since I'm free." Steve resisted the urge to groan, burying his face in his hands. Really, Bucky ought to know better by now.

"No, actually, I think I'll pass," Peggy replied conversationally, making Steve snicker when Bucky blinked, taken aback. "Now if that's all I have some homework to do, and you're in my way."

"I, uh, wait, what? You're saying no?" Bucky stuttered, confused. Peggy nodded, forcibly shoving him further down the desk so she could set up her parchment.

"Oh, good, you do understand English. Please leave, I can't do my homework if you're sat there." She glanced over at Steve, who was stifling laughter with his knuckles pressed to his lips, and the brunette gave him a short glare.

"Because I'm so distracting in my handsomeness, right?" Bucky presumed smugly, leaning back on one arm in a carefully rehearsed move that pushed his chest out, showing off his pecs and abs through his thin white school shirt. Steve could see the masked disappointment on his friend's face when Peggy barely even looked at him.

"No, because the longer you sit there the more tempting it is to hit you with this textbook, and I don't think you can afford to lose any more brain cells as it is," Peggy told him evenly, making Steve lose his battle against laughter.

"Okay, _ouch_," Bucky muttered under his breath, pride clearly ruffled. "Whatever, doll. I'll see you later when you're not otherwise occupied. Coming, Steve?" He hopped off the desk, clearly heading to the dorms, and Steve shook his head.

"Nah, maybe in a little while Buck, I have some reading to do," he said, holding up his book apologetically. Bucky huffed, but nodded, almost stomping up to the dorm room. When he was out of sight, Peggy giggled.

"Did that really just happen?" she asked, and Steve nodded, tugging at his fringe.

"I never realised how ridiculous Bucky's flirting technique is until he tried it on someone who actually doesn't care," he replied, amused. He should be taking his friend's side, but… it was Bucky's fault for expecting Peggy to fall for that crap. "You could've been a little nicer, though. He's been planning this for weeks." Peggy raised an eyebrow at him, bewildered.

"He's been planning for weeks and _that_ was the best he could come up with?" she asked, amazed. Steve shrugged, offering her a wry smile.

"Works on every other girl in this joint. I just thought he'd know enough by now to know you're not like every other girl in this joint," he reasoned, making her blush. His phone bleeped, interrupting the conversation, and he couldn't stop the sappy smile that crossed his lips at the picture message Tony had sent. The Ravenclaw was curled up in bed with his tablet, form swamped by Steve's burgundy Gryffindor quidditch team hoodie. _'You left this here last night. Mine now xx'_ the text underneath read.

"Oh, Merlin, I know that look. Steve, don't forget, you have work to do. Work that doesn't involve daydreaming about Tony all the time," Peggy teased, and this time it was Steve's turn to blush. He tapped out a quick reply and pocketed the device, hiding his burning face behind his book. He'd go up in a little while and see how Bucky was doing.

.-.-.

Bucky's attempts got more and more hopeless as time went on. He tried everything; flowers, chocolate, he even hexed a bunch of Slytherins to serenade her at dinner. Every day for a week, he asked her out, and every single time she turned him down embarrassingly. He didn't know how to cope with rejection; it had never happened to him before! The only time in the past he'd been rejected was in third year, when he'd asked if a sixth year girl was free that evening only for her to respond 'why, you need a babysitter?'. All her friends had laughed, and he hadn't been able to show his face in the common room for a week.

By Saturday, a full week from the disastrous first attempt, Peggy finally slapped him when he made a comment about her chest filling out her quidditch jumper that was, okay, maybe a little crude. But he was desperate. It was clear he should probably give up, though, before she decided to hex him black and blue. Pulling away from the rest of the team after he'd showered and changed, Bucky gave Steve a small, half-hearted grin. "Could you take my stuff back up? I'm gonna go for a walk, clear my head," he said softly, and Steve nodded.

"Sure thing, Buck. Here, it's cold out, borrow this." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a dark blue and silver beanie hat, frowning. "Hmm. Could've sworn I had mine in here— Tony," he added with a sigh, shaking his head in exasperation. He handed the hat to Bucky anyway, who gave it a disparaging look but jammed it on his head; Steve was right, it was cold outside.

"You need to stop letting your boyfriend steal your clothes, soldier," Bucky teased, handing Steve his quidditch bag. Steve hoisted it over his shoulder with his own as if they were lighter than feathers. "You'll have nothing left to wear."

"I think that's his plan," Steve replied in amusement, slightly pink-cheeked. "I'll see you later, Buck. Don't stay out too late." Bucky nodded, splitting away from his friend to head towards the edge of the forest, the leather of his boots darkening from the rain-soaked grass. Kicking at a fallen pine cone, he shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing at the overcast sky. He hoped it wouldn't rain, that would completely ruin his brooding.

"You know, blue isn't really your colour." His head snapped up at the voice, and he resisted the urge to scowl when he saw Peggy walking towards him, out of her uniform with her bag over her shoulder.

"Yeah, well, Tony clearly thinks it's Steve's, so that's what I'm stuck with," he replied, and she smirked at the explanation of where the hat had come from. Tony was one of those people who tried to be possessive by having their boyfriend wear their clothes, but as most of his clothes didn't fit Steve decently enough for him to wear them in public, it was mostly limited to his Ravenclaw hat and scarf. Bucky would never admit that he was secretly looking forward to seeing what Tony would do in the summer; possibly tattoo 'Property of Tony Stark' on Steve's forehead, he was quite sure that hadn't been ruled out yet. "If you've come to yell at me, don't bother. I know I was a jerk — hell, I've been a jerk all week to you. But it usually works! I guess I'm just so used to getting what I want when it comes to girls that when I didn't I… got a little angry," he admitted sheepishly. Peggy didn't say anything, and he was surprised when his mouth opened again. "I knew you'd never fall for my lines but I just didn't know what to say and then I figured that hey, if you were shouting at me for being a douchebag, at least it was attention, right? But that clearly wasn't winning me any favours and I'd like to apologise now because I didn't mean to but I just really, really like you and I should've known that of course the first girl I have _actual_ feelings for is the first one who won't put up with my bullshit."

He went bright red when he finally got himself to stop talking. "I didn't mean to say all that out loud," he added, not meeting Peggy's eyes. She probably thought he was a giant idiot now, even more than she did already. He heard leaves crunching underfoot as she walked closer to him, and his eyes went wide as her lips briefly pressed to his, so quickly he thought he might have imagined it.

"Maybe if you'd said all that in the first place, you'd have saved yourself a lot of trouble. You're actually quite sweet when you're being honest," she told him, smiling. "In a bit of a priggish way." He snorted, lips quirking ruefully.

"You British and your compliments," he joked, earning a swat to the shoulder. "If I promise to try and keep being honest, will you go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend, please?" Peggy hummed thoughtfully, dragging it out as long as she could.

"Yes, I suppose." He blinked, surprised at the answer, then broke into a wide grin.

"Seriously? Sweet!" He paused, suddenly suspicious. "You're not going to stand me up and leave me standing in the Entrance Hall like a tool, are you?" The brunette girl laughed, rolling her eyes and slipping her arm through his.

"No, no, as tempting as it is. Now, are you going to be a proper gentleman and walk me back to the castle, or do I have to rethink my choices?" He straightened up, offering her a smile as they started walking.

"Gentleman, ma'am," he replied obediently, making her snicker. "Here, let me take your bag."

"I can carry it myself," she protested, but he ignored her and slipped it from her shoulder, swinging it onto his own.

"Yes, but a gentleman always carries a lady's bag," he told her with a lopsided grin. She laughed, giving him an appraising look.

"Yes, I think you'll do." Bucky's grin widened as she allowed him to take her hand, already imagining the look on Steve's face when he told the blonde he actually had a date with Peggy Carter.


	36. Y5: Still Not Over You

_**Title:**__ Still Not Over You_  
_**Summary:**__ Loki, in an attempt to distract himself from his thoughts about his brother, decides to ask Sif out for Valentine's Day. He turns out to be less than successful._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 4446_  
_**Pairings:**__ Loki/Sif, Onesided Loki/Thor, Thor/Jane, Peggy/Bucky_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Loki really owed Darcy a thank you of extreme proportions; not that he'd ever suck up his pride and give her one. In the months since the Yule Ball, he'd seen far more of his childhood friends than he had his entire two and a half years of Hogwarts previously. He still hadn't really spoken much to Thor, preferring to catch Sif and the boys when his brother was off with his other friends or his girlfriend, but they'd had a few conversations that seemed to mean the world to the older boy. Loki was just trying to resist the urge to either hit him or kiss him, settling for sharp words that probably hurt Thor more than he would've liked, but he needed to establish distance. Just because he was spending time with Sif, Fandral, Volstagg and Hogun didn't mean he was willing to embrace his brother.

Sif was his usual companion as of late, while the older boys began their studying for OWLs — or at least pretended to study, for the sake of their teachers. The Gryffindor girl had only become more witty with age, and Loki actually found himself smiling in her presence. It reminded him of when he'd been nine and she ten, and all the boys had been away at Hogwarts leaving them alone to play together. She hadn't seemed to mind, and he'd developed quite the crush on her as only a nine year-old boy could. While those feelings weren't returning, overpowered by his feelings for Thor, he did begin to wonder if trying to rekindle them might be worth the effort.

He discussed the matter with Darcy — his only real source of relationship advice, who despite having never had a boyfriend read just about every magazine in question and had plenty of older friends who had been in relationships — who agreed that it was worth a shot, though fruitlessly warned him not to hurt Sif. Loki glared at her for that; like he was likely to willingly hurt the one person who had never treated him like an outcast. Still, that settled, Loki did what any good Slytherin would do when faced with a problem; he began to plot.

Since it was February, he decided his best bet was to go down the Valentine's Day route; plenty of other couples were likely to be in Hogsmeade for the weekend, and hopefully the romance in the air would help him along his way. He was at a slight loss as to how to actually ask her on said date, but figured that was best done spontaneously. His perfect chance came when they were in one of the empty classrooms near the Slytherin dungeons, having decided the library was full of far too many people studying for OWLs and NEWTs. Neither of them had that much work, and Loki found himself distracted, constantly glancing up at the Gryffindor as she bent over her parchment, dark hair loose in a shining curtain for once. "Is everything alright, little serpent?" she asked, tucking her hair behind her ear and looking up with a smile. He flushed at being caught out, biting his lip nervously.

"I was, uh, wondering if I might escort you to Hogsmeade on Saturday. For Valentine's day," he clarified, heart beating fast against his ribs. Sif seemed surprised, but her smile widened, her pale cheeks reddening faintly.

"I would like that very much, Loki." He blinked, shocked.

"Really?" he blurted before he could stop himself, and she giggled.

"Yes!" she insisted, rolling her eyes. "There are so very few gentlemen with manners in this castle, I have to take them when they offer."

"Fandral is a gentleman with manners," he reminded her, but she merely snorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Fandral is a flirt and a harlot, and I watched him eat worms when he was seven years old. Surprisingly, I'm not attracted to him in the slightest," she told him dryly, making him laugh softly.

"Point taken. Merlin, I'd forgotten about the worms." Thor had tried to convince Loki to eat some — apparently Hogun had dared Volstagg, and it had all escalated from there — but he'd merely called them all imbeciles and gone to seek refuge in the library with Mother.

"I should be so lucky," Sif sighed wistfully, grinning at him. "Come on, then; you told me that Potions essay is due first thing tomorrow, and you're barely even halfway through! Far be it from me to distract you from your homework." Loki sighed, grumbling under his breath, but it was halfhearted at best as he looked back down at his barely-started essay. Things were starting to look up.

.-.-.

No one noticed the shy Slytherin boy waiting in the corner of the Entrance Hall, all too absorbed in their own excitement. Red and pink streamers decorated the castle, and almost everyone queueing up to go to Hogsmeade was part of a couple, holding hands and staring dopily into their partner's eyes, love well and truly in the air. Loki hung by the stairs and kept his eyes peeled, hoping no one he knew spotted him. He didn't want to have to explain his presence should Sif not show up, and he wouldn't blame her if she didn't. "There you are!" His head snapped up, and there was a fair amount of relief in his smile as he spotted Sif approaching. She wore dark grey leggings with tall black boots and a dark red knitted dress, her hair up in its usual ponytail.

"You look radiant," he told her politely, drawing a smile to her face and some colour to her cheeks.

"Thank you. You look rather dashing yourself," she replied, making him flush. "Shall we join the queue?" He nodded, offering an arm to her, and they joined the group of people waiting for carriages to Hogsmeade. He felt somewhat awkward, standing there surrounded by couples with a girl he'd known his entire life and yet somehow had a complete inability to talk to. He opened his mouth several times, only to close it again when no words came out, and Sif offered him a fond smile. "I do hope it doesn't snow today; the weather's looking rather grim," she mused, glancing up at the sky as they stepped outside.

"I'm just glad it's not raining," Loki replied wryly. "Besides, I like the snow."

"I know you do," Sif agreed, smile widening when Loki helped her into the carriage as a gentleman should. "But should the snow get too bad, the carriages won't run and we'll have to walk back. I got caught out last year with Hogun, and let me tell you, the walk back isn't fun in three feet of snow." Loki winced, remembering the day several people had come back from Hogsmeade soaked to the bone and covered in snow, spending hours in front of the fire in the common room. He'd only been a second year, and hadn't been eligible for Hogsmeade visits at the time.

"No, I can't imagine it would be," he murmured with a frown, her shoulder bumping against hers as the carriage went over a bump. They were sharing it with two other couples, all sixth and seventh years by the looks of them, and thankfully they didn't pay any attention to Loki and Sif. "Was there anything in particular you wanted to do today?" Sif hummed thoughtfully, shrugging.

"Not that I can think of. I'd like to go to Scrivenshaft's — I'm down to one quill, I think Hogun's been borrowing mine again — but other than that, I have no preference. How about you?"

"I promised Darcy I'd bring her back some chocolate from Honeyduke's, so we'll have to stop by there, but I hadn't planned past that. Perhaps lunch at the Three Broomsticks, then just see where things take us?" Darcy was staying back at the castle, wanting to stay well out of the Valentine's madness, but he was ever her errand boy and apparently her chocolate stash was low. Why she didn't just steal Barton's like she usually did, he didn't know.

"That sounds like a plan," Sif agreed brightly, stepping out of the carriage as they reached the village, taking Loki's arm once more. "I have to say, I'm glad you didn't suggest Puddifoot's." Loki grimaced at the mention of the teashop.

"You couldn't get me in there if you paid me," he declared vehemently, making her laugh.

"It's ghastly, isn't it? Merlin knows why people go there, especially on Valentine's Day. It's awful enough every other day of the year!"

"I suppose some people like that sort of thing," he mused, shrugging. He was glad he'd brought his Slytherin scarf with him, as the wind whipped at his face. He cast a warming charm over both of them; while it was the gentlemanly thing to offer Sif his coat, he'd surely freeze to death without it, and she probably wouldn't appreciate that. "Or at least pretend to like it for the sake of their partners." Even as he spoke, he could see a Gryffindor boy in Sif's year being dragged towards the teashop by a happy-looking Hufflepuff girl, a look of dread on his face that he didn't mask very well.

"That can only end in disaster," Sif murmured, her eyes on the same couple. "Come on, let's get to Honeydukes before it gets crowded with boys buying chocolates for their dates after tea." Loki nodded, and the pair detoured towards the sweet shop, still arm in arm. Loki bypassed the many shelves full of chocolate in pink and red wrappings, heading straight for the normal Honeyduke's bars and grabbing three of Darcy's favourites, as well as one for himself. Should she want any more, she could wait until the next Hogsmeade weekend and get it herself.

"Did you want anything?" he asked Sif, who was eyeing the fudge contemplatively.

"Oh, no, it's fine," she insisted, though she grinned when he grabbed a pack of the cherry-chocolate fudge for her, adding it to his own purchases. "My favourite."

"I know," he told her, a half-smile at his lips. "Do you really think I'd have survived this long in your good books without knowing your favourite flavour of fudge?" She laughed lightly, shoving his shoulder playfully.

"Bratling," she teased, walking with him towards the cashier. "How come you're the only one of the boys that seems to? Thor is still buying me strawberry after all these years." Loki pushed away the tightening in his chest at the mention of his brother's name, keeping the smile on his face.

"My Lady, I never said Thor was in your good books," he retorted, smirking. She giggled, leaning into him slightly as he paid for the sweets, gathering them in a paper bag that he managed to fit in his coat pocket.

"Oh, Loki, your wit never fails to amuse me," she murmured fondly, making him smile. Sif was one of the few people who appreciated that; others just told him his silver tongue would get him into trouble one day.

They slipped out of the shop as it began to get more crowded, the Valentine's-themed chocolates practically flying off the shelves. "Really though, surely if you were going to buy your date chocolate, you'd have pre-ordered it to give to them at the beginning of the date?" he mused, frowning.

"Some people are buying them to save and give to their partner actually on Valentine's Day," Sif pointed out. Valentine's Day wasn't until Wednesday, but that meant little to Hogwarts students; Valentine's was whenever the Hogsmeade weekend said it was. He looked up when Sif waved, following her gaze to see Peggy and Bucky walking hand in hand on the other side of the courtyard.

"I didn't know those two were together," Loki said, surprised. Sif shrugged, looking back at him.

"It's fairly new. I'm sure you noticed his atrocious flirting?" He nodded, and she smiled wryly. "Well, apparently he managed to say something that wasn't insulting, so Peggy decided to give him a chance. I give it another two weeks at most. Or another two hours, possibly, if Bucky keeps staring at that seventh year girl." Looking back over at the other couple, he could see Barnes was indeed eyeing up a seventh year Ravenclaw girl, much to the annoyance of both her date and his own.

"Carter deserves better than that lout." Sif hummed in agreement, and he nudged open the door to Scrivenshaft's.

"She does, but I can see where she's coming from. Bucky can be fairly sweet when he's not trying to impress anyone. He's a boy, and he needs to grow up a little before he can be truly worth a girl's time," she remarked. Loki raised a dark eyebrow at her, amused.

"He's older than I am, are you saying I'm not worth your time?" he queried, a lightness to his tone that let her know he was only playing.

"Oh, you know that's not what I'm saying at all," she huffed with a roll of her eyes. "We both know you've always been older than your years. Sometimes it feels like you're older than all of us." He shrugged, not sure what to say to that, and silence fell between them as Sif picked out some quills and a new bottle of ink.

"Lunch?" he suggested once she'd paid. She nodded, smiling, and her hand slipped into his once they stepped outside, surprising him. He'd only ever held hands with Darcy before, and that was usually her dragging him somewhere at a hundred miles an hour, so he didn't think it counted. It was… nice.

The Three Broomsticks was fairly packed when they arrived, but they managed to find a booth in the corner that was empty. "I'll go get drinks," he told the Gryffindor girl, who nodded and picked up a menu. He slipped away to the bar, letting out a long breath. So far, so good; maybe dating Sif would actually work. He was enjoying himself, and Sif seemed to be enjoying herself. What more did he need?

Taking two butterbeers back to their table, he took the menu Sif offered to him and peered over the options, rolling his eyes at the 'Valentine's Special' outlined in little red hearts. Still, half-price for Hogwarts students was enough of an incentive, he supposed, and it did look rather good. "As much as it sickens me to say this, I think I might go for the Valentine's Special. How about you?" Sif laughed, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"I was going to go for the same, actually. I suppose we might as well embrace the day, even if it is rather… over the top." That was one thing he liked about Sif; she wasn't the type of girl to go mad over Valentine's Day and expect cards and flowers and chocolate. She was pragmatic.

The waitress came to take their order, giving them both a lewd grin and wink that made Loki blush when he told her they wanted two Valentine's Specials. The Slytherin boy found he couldn't quite meet his date's eyes after that, having completely forgotten that on a romantic date people were expected to do things like kiss. Kissing Sif was… something he'd told himself years ago, back when he'd been half in love with her, that he was never to do. He wondered what his younger self would say if he could see him now. Still, he hadn't kissed anyone before, but he rather thought he'd like doing it with Sif.

Their meals arrived surprisingly quickly, especially considering the amount of people in the pub, and they dug in quite happily. The butterbeer was warming him from the inside out, and he belatedly cancelled the warming charm; there was no chance of catching a chill in here. Conversation was fairly sparse, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable as they ate. Loki couldn't stop himself from surveying other couples in the pub, making little comments that sent Sif into fits of stifled giggles, even as she scolded him lightly. He grinned to himself, remarking on the obvious blindness that Hufflepuff boy was suffering to not notice his girlfriend's awful taste in knitwear, when the door opened once more and he faltered. Thor entering a room was impossible not to notice, even in a room as crowded as this, and Jane tucked under his arm did nothing to diminish that. She was laughing, her cheeks flushed pink from the cold and her arm around Thor's waist, and the blonde boy was beaming widely, clearly enjoying himself on his date. Loki could see a pink heart-shaped box peeking from the top of Jane's bag, and recognised it as one of the overpriced Valentine's chocolate boxes from Honeyduke's. Of course Thor would think those a perfect gift for his lady-love.

He should've expected this, of course. Thor was hardly likely to let Valentine's Day fall by the wayside, not when he was with Jane. And Hogsmeade was a surprisingly small village. Still, all the logic in the world couldn't change the way his lungs seemed bereft of air, and everything seemed far too loud all of a sudden. "Loki, are you alright?" He jolted at the voice, turning to see Sif eyeing him in concern.

"Yes, yes," he insisted, shaking his head. "Just… lost in thought." Sif didn't look convinced, but she let it go, and Loki was free to stare at Thor once more. The older boy had pulled Jane into a kiss, and it was making his stomach churn, but he couldn't bring himself to look away. When the pair parted, Thor peered around for a free table, his considerable height allowing him to see over the heads of the rest of the patrons, and Loki realised all too late how visible he and Sif were.

"Brother!" Thor exclaimed, his voice audible across the pub. Loki cursed under his breath as Thor and Jane began making their way over, and Sif's eyebrows rose.

"Fancy meeting you here," she greeted, smiling. "Please, join us." Loki resisted the urge to whack his head on the table, obligingly shuffling to the side to allow Thor to join him on his bench, Jane sliding in beside Sif.

"Brother, I did not know you and the Lady Sif were romantically inclined!" Thor exclaimed, clapping him on the back with a grin. Loki didn't meet the blonde's eyes, looking down at his half-eaten meal.

"It's fairly new. This is our first date," Sif supplied, not blushing in the slightest.

"Ah, and you could not have picked a better day for it! My Lady Jane has been educating me on the rituals of the Day of Valentine, it has been most enjoyable." Loki sighed, rolling his eyes. Odin and Frigga really hadn't done Thor many favours keeping him so isolated growing up. They lived in Denmark, but it really wasn't the whole other planet that Thor's mannerisms made it seem.

"Yeah, it's been fun," Jane agreed, grinning brightly. "How about you guys?"

"Today has been very entertaining," Sif told the other girl, sipping at her butterbeer. "Be proud of your brother, Thor; he has grown into quite the charmer." Thor beamed proudly, his hand on Loki's shoulder once more, and to the Slytherin boy the touch practically burned through his coat and shirt.

"I am always proud of my brother, but this pleases me very much. Loki, I didn't know you had it in you to take on a vixen such as Sif! Perhaps I underestimated you," he joked, ducking the swat Sif aimed at his head over the table, and a lump grew in Loki's throat that he couldn't quite swallow away. He couldn't do this. He couldn't sit with Sif and Thor and Jane and pretend that he was happy to see the blonde on a date with his girlfriend, pretend it wasn't tearing him apart inside. He needed to get out.

"Sif, my dear, I think we should leave Thor and his Lady to their date, don't you?" he said somewhat stiffly, begging Sif with his eyes to agree with him. She frowned, lips pursing, but nodded after a few moments.

"Indeed; we're quite finished here, and we wouldn't want to intrude." Thor frowned as Loki stood, not moving to let him out.

"Nonsense! We would be honoured to have you join us!" Loki forced himself to place a hand on the Gryffindor's shoulder, giving him a look.

"Brother," he murmured, the word feeling like tar in his mouth. "Valentine's Day is typically spent without the company of other couples. It is more romantic," he explained quietly, watching Thor's eyes widen in understanding.

"Ah, I see," he replied, lips twisting in an amused grin as he sent his younger brother a wink. "Far be it from me to stifle the romance between you and Lady Sif. Enjoy the rest of your day, brother." He stood to let Loki leave, and the Slytherin didn't bother trying to explain that Thor had the wrong end of the stick, even as his face went red.

He practically ran from the pub, Sif hot on his tail, and when they were outside she gripped his shoulder, turning him to face her. "Care to tell me what that was all about, then? I know you don't like Thor, but would it really be so painful to spend a few minutes more with him?" The lump in his throat returned, and his eyes began to sting.

"I can't. I'm so sorry, Sif. This is all my fault, and I can't do it." Before she could say anything, he turned and ran, slipping through the crowd towards the Shrieking Shack, where he knew he'd get privacy. No one wanted to see a haunted house on Valentine's Day. He ignored the damp grass and fell to his knees, blinking back tears with an angry snarl on his face. He should be stronger than this.

The arm around his shoulder made him jump and grab his wand on instinct, before he felt lips press to his temple. "Little serpent, what ails you?" He slumped into Sif's embrace at her murmured words, having heard them far too many times in his lifetime. Before he could stop himself, everything was spilling out of his mouth without his consent; his feelings for Thor, how much it hurt knowing they would never be returned, and how he'd thought he could get rid of them by reminding himself of the crush he'd once had on her.

"I'm an awful person," he told her, voice croaky. "I've used you, and lied to you, and you don't deserve any of it! And it hasn't helped a jot; I still love my brother in a way I should not, and I've gained nothing from this! I've lost your friendship, and I don't blame you for it, even if I can't bear to lose you; the first friend I ever truly had." Sif's arm tightened around him, and she kissed his head once more.

"You haven't lost my friendship, silly snake," she told him, sounding choked even as she smiled. "You'd have to do far more than love Thor to be rid of me. I love you, Loki, as I always have, and as I always will." She shifted, moving to sit opposite him so she could look him in the eye. "I am truly, truly sorry that I cannot do more to help you deal with your feelings, my serpent. But know this; there is nothing wrong with the way you feel. Thor is your brother in name, not blood, and to love him is no sin. I… I suppose I now understand why you avoid us Gryffindors so."

"It's nothing against you," he told her hoarsely, wiping angrily at the tears on his reddened cheeks. "Or the boys. You're all dear to me — even bloody Volstagg — but I just can't face him, knowing I cannot have what I desire most in the world." Sif stroked his hair, nodding.

"I understand, Loki, I do." She sighed, shaking her head. "Sometimes I do despise Lord Odin for how he has treated you. Perhaps if he raised you both as his blood-sons, this would not have happened." Loki snorted wryly, giving her a look. Even had he actually been blood-related to Odin, he doubted the man would've ever raised him as a true son. Loki was too different; he was the lone snake in a family of lions, and it showed. Add to that Thor's status as the eldest and legitimate heir, and Odin had no reason to see Loki as anything more than a mild annoyance to be dealt with as needed.

"What do I do, Sif?" he asked, sounding for once all of his mere thirteen years. "I don't want these feelings, they will never amount to anything, but I cannot rid myself of them. And while I have them, I cause Thor pain for some imagined wrong he believes to have dealt me. But he can never know the truth, or he would have real reason to despise me."

"Thor would never despise you for feeling love, especially not towards him," Sif insisted, making him scoff.

"Even the kind of love that makes me wish to possess him in a way his Lady_Jane_ never could?" he retorted, lips in a twisted snarl.

"Even then," Sif told him firmly. "Come, little serpent; let's head back to the castle, where it is warm. Just because there is no romantic feeling does not mean our date has to come to an end." She smiled sweetly at him, pulling him to his feet. "I have something to show you I believe you will enjoy. A part of the castle you have yet to discover."

"How can you stand to look at me?" he asked, voice quiet and full of self-loathing. Sif cupped his cheek, meeting his eyes without hesitation.

"Because I see all the good in you that you never see in yourself," she replied gently, smiling. "Now come; we have to get back quickly, before one of the others decides to head back and use the Room for some alone time." She pulled him into a tight hug, kissing his forehead, then slid an arm through his and half-dragged him back towards the edge of the village, where carriages were waiting. Loki merely let her, trying to get a handle on himself. He truly had to stop underestimating Sif; she never ceased to surprise him.


	37. Y5: Freeing the Wolf

_**Title:**__ Freeing the Wolf_  
_**Summary:**__ Instead of revising for his OWLs, Tony decides to put his mental abilities to better use. Namely, curing lycanthropy. Because really, he's kept Bruce hanging long enough._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3836_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

The relaxed buzz of Christmas and Valentine's day was definitely ending, and with the arrival of the Easter holidays came the reminder of impending exams. For the fifth years, it was especially prudent; their teachers had been harping on at them all year about the importance of doing well, but with exams only a few short months away, the nagging was almost unbearable. Pepper was proving invaluable, not only for Tony, having created study schedules, curriculum plans and note folders for everyone, using a photocopier provided by the Room. That didn't stop most of them from freaking out, though, and most of their time was now spent revising. Almost all of them were staying over break to focus on their studies… except Tony.

Tony knew damn well that he could walk into any of his exams and get an O without even trying, so revision wasn't really high on his list of priorities despite Pepper's fretting. He was far more focused on the progress he was making with the lycanthropy cure. He only worked on it when Bruce wasn't around, as he didn't want another repeat of the last potion breakthrough he'd thought he'd made, but with the other boy off revising more often, Tony was left to work.

Every improvement he'd made to the potion over the past year was practically useless in the face of Bruce's werewolf puberty, each potion designed to soothe the wolf being near-completely negated by the roiling hormones that were brought about by the change. He didn't think it was meant to be this bad, and was beginning to wonder if the potion Bruce had taken the year before had something to do with it. Either way, he needed to find a solution before Bruce injured himself permanently. This time, he was certain he was onto something, but he couldn't do it at school.

"What could possibly be more important than revising for your OWLs, Tony?" Pepper asked sharply as soon as he told her he wasn't staying for the holiday.

"Business, Pep. We both know I don't need to revise," he pointed out, earning her glare.

"Some subjects, you do. And I'm your PA, I _know_ you haven't got anything that urgent going on with Stark Industries," she added. He gripped her by the shoulders, pecking her on the forehead as he shouldered his bag with his shrunken trunk in it. There was a reason he'd left it until the last minute to tell her.

"Pepper, listen to me," he said seriously, gaze boring into hers. "I have very, very important work that needs to be done as soon as possible, in my lab at home. Exams aren't until the end of May, it is currently the end of March, I have two months, I'll be fine. Trust me on this one." He held her until she finally sighed, relaxing in his hold.

"Fine. If you get less than perfect results, it'll be your own damn fault," she grumbled, making him grin.

"When have I ever done anything that's less than perfect?" he retorted, winking as he released her. "Love you." He moved to Bruce, bringing him into a hug. "Love you." Steve was next, the blonde's face amused as Tony eyed him up and down. "Definitely love you. You're my favourite." He leaned up for a long kiss, still marvelling that he could say 'I love you' and mean it romantically without wanting to curl in a ball and hide. Steve did that to him, he supposed.

"I love you too, Tony. Don't work yourself sick, I want you back in as many pieces as you left in," he joked, holding him close.

"I promise I'll remember to sleep and eat occasionally when JARVIS reminds me," Tony assured, figuring that was probably the best he could manage. Steve rolled his eyes, but accepted it, and Tony turned towards the group getting the Express, joining them with one last wave over his shoulder.

.-.-.

Almost as soon as Tony arrived home — which was now London for him; he hadn't set foot in the New York house since his parents had died — he ordered pizza and descended to his lab, pulling out the huge stack of notes he'd already compiled on the potion. He had about twenty different solutions to try, as well as notes to create a computer programme when he was finished that would allow him to brew potions theoretically before actually having to brew them. It would save so much money and time, and he'd probably make millions from it. But that was a whole other project.

Over the whole three weeks of Easter break, Tony probably never would have slept if not for the regular phone calls from various friends, usually Steve, reminding him that it was night time. One of his housekeeping staff kindly brought food for him at six-hour intervals — that guy really deserved a pay rise — and his coffee pot never went empty. His staff were awesome. Still, he was almost at his wit's end when he ran the compound for the fourteenth different version of the completed potion. Dripping several drops of the potion onto the testing paper, he watched the graphic of Bruce's DNA on the screen, muttering prayers to gods he didn't believe in under his breath. A progress bar began filling slowly, chronicling the potion taking affect on the DNA sample; he didn't want to use the actual blood sample, as he had limited amounts and could hardly call Bruce for more, so he was running a test scenario.

The bar hit 100% without the screen turning red, which meant he hadn't killed Bruce. Text began filling the screen, and Tony read it quickly, his breath catching in his throat as it was replaced by a green-lit screen and the words 'Test Successful: Lycanthropy Disease Destroyed'. "No way," he murmured, gaping. "JARVIS, run it again to make sure." He ran the compound a second time, getting the exact same results. "Yes. Yes! I am a genius!" He allowed himself a brief celebration dance — brief because he fell over when a dizzy-spell hit him. "And I need food. JARVIS, order Chinese from that little place I like, and compile the potion instructions to print, as well as the reasoning behind each ingredient and my notes on the brewing process." If he was going to submit it to the Potions Guild, he'd need all the proper documentation. "I'm going to go shower." He didn't think he'd showered for at least five days, and by the LED calendar on his screen, he was due back at school in two days.

Clean, in clothes that weren't covered in potion stains, and with a large box of Chinese food in his hand, Tony sprawled out on the sofa in his living room, tablet balanced on the arm of the sofa as he read through the files JARVIS had compiled. Everything looked to be in order, and while Tony knew he should probably send it for testing like all other SI experiments, this was a personal project and he didn't want the company getting their hands on it just yet. Not until he'd had the chance to tell Bruce about it. "Print the documents, save a backup on both my personal servers, and encrypt any and all research on it until further notice," he instructed JARVIS, who made a noise of affirmation. Tony shut his tablet down and moved it to the coffee table, bringing up a movie on the TV. He had the rest of the evening to relax, and then tomorrow he should probably pack up and attempt to do some sort of revision, just so Pepper couldn't nag.

.-.-.

Tony found Darcy and Loki on the Hogwarts Express back home, and ended up sat with them as they were the only people he really knew and he didn't want to sit on his own. He didn't know Loki that well, and thought he was kinda creepy, but he was Thor's brother, and if Darcy liked him he couldn't be too bad. "How come you went home, anyway?" Darcy asked, her feet propped up in Tony's lap. "I'm surprised you could surgically remove yourself from Steve's side." He shot her a deadpan look, flicking her foot.

"Very funny, Lewis. I'm not _that_ bad with Steve," he denied, though it was half-hearted. "I had some business stuff to take care of, it was easier to do it from home. Besides, between you and me, I just didn't want to be around Pepper on a study rampage. I swear, she takes all the fun out of learning," he groused. He was perfectly happy to study with Bruce and Jane, but they had a habit of going off on tangents as things interested them and ending up researching something completely unrelated to their original topic. Pepper wasn't letting them study unsupervised for exams, and Tony just couldn't deal with that. He'd felt a little sorry about abandoning Bruce and Jane to the redhead's efforts, but they were both worried about exams too, and Pepper was far more focused on the Gryffindor boys. She and Peggy made a formidable team, and had deemed the Gryffindors the least likely to study on their own; Phil was just as studious and organised as Pepper, if not more so.

"Ooh, yeah, I don't blame you on that one. Why's she making you study, anyway? You're like, a super-genius." Tony grinned at her, somewhat smug.

"My point exactly! But, as Pepper points out, I forget a lot of what's on the curriculum because it's easy and boring and no one really cares. Especially subjects I don't really care about. I mean, who needs History of Magic, anyway?" he asked, rolling his eyes.

"Presumably, anyone planning on becoming a historian," Loki piped up dryly. "Or anyone planning to work at the Ministry. I hear they like you to know your past in an effort to stop it repeating in future." Tony shrugged, not looking convinced.

"Yeah, but there's a difference between knowing your past and being able to name every single goblin involved in every goblin revolution since the beginning of time," he retorted, actually drawing a snort from the quiet Slytherin boy.

They pulled into the station, and Tony rode in a carriage with Darcy and Loki up to the castle, parting with them in the doorway to the Great Hall to head over to the Ravenclaw table, sliding into the spot between Bruce and Jane. "Miss me?" he drawled with a smirk, draping an arm around Bruce's shoulders and pulling him into a hug, allowing him to inhale his scent properly.

"Definitely. Pepper is secretly a demon from the darkest pits of hell," Bruce declared, completely seriously, Jane nodding in agreement.

"I know, that's exactly why I hired her. And exactly why I ran away," he added, smirk widening. Grabbing the nearest plate of food, he started loading up his own plate. He was starving. "So I assume you got lots of revision done?" Bruce glared at him, and Tony grinned innocently. "Excellent, excellent. Hey, honeybear, I need to talk to you about some things after dinner, so don't run off, okay?" Bruce looked confused, but nodded. Tony practically inhaled his dinner, wandering over to the Gryffindor table when he was finished to greet Steve, kissing the back of his neck while the blonde was mid-sentence in his conversation with Thor.

"Good to see you too, Tony," Steve said before turning around, a smile on his face. Tony leaned in, kissing him quickly.

"Hello, gorgeous. Just letting you know that as much as I would love to spend the evening making up for lost time with your sexy self, I have important science things to go over with Bruce so I'll be in Ravenclaw all night. Hopefully good things," he added at Steve's concerned expression.

"Okay. No explosions in the dorm room, yeah?" Tony snickered, kissing his boyfriend's cheek.

"Yes, sir." Ducking back over to the Ravenclaw table, he dragged Bruce from his bench and up to the common room.

"You going to tell me what this is about, then?" Bruce asked, and Tony fixed him with a look, all mischief gone from his expression.

"So I kinda lied when I said I was working on business stuff over Easter," he admitted. Bruce's lips quirked in a wry smile.

"I assumed as much. What were you doing?" Tony pulled the folder containing his print-out of the potion notes, handing it to Bruce.

"I think I've found the cure." Bruce dropped the folder, head snapping up at Tony's words.

"You… really?" he breathed, stunned. Tony nodded, bending to pick up the folder and hand it back to him.

"I had a hunch before the break, but I didn't want to work on it here because I didn't want you to find out in case it didn't work. So I spent all Easter working on it, and… I think this is the one." Bruce flipped the folder open, speed-reading through the notes until he'd gotten the gist of it, at which point he threw the folder on the bed and bundled Tony in a rib-crushing hug.

"I can never thank you enough for this," he murmured, and Tony hugged him back when he realised there were tears soaking through the collar of his shirt. "Seriously, Tony, just… I owe you _so much_. You didn't have to do this but you did, and I… you could never possibly understand how much this means to me."

"You're my best friend, Bruce, of course I had to do this for you," Tony told him, kissing his forehead. Bruce leant up, pressing a friendly kiss to his lips.

"You're way more than I deserve, and I love you," he declared fiercely, tears still streaming down his face. "When can I take it?"

"Well, I'd like to send it to SI and get it properly tested on others first," he began, faltering when he saw the look on Bruce's face. "But you're not going to let me do that, are you?"

"I need to take it, Tony. I know I should wait, but… it's been so _long_." Tony nodded, running a hand through his hair.

"Sure, sure, I get you. Then how about we take this to Healer McCoy and you take it in the hospital wing, so he can monitor you through it?" Bruce smiled thankfully, nodding.

"Yeah, that… that sounds good. Can we do it now?" he asked hopefully. He looked like a puppy, and Tony had a hard time saying no to that face. He rummaged through his bag, pulling out the padded box he'd stored the potion in. He'd tested for the optimal dose size on his computer, and had it in a single vial; the rest was back in a locked safe in his lab, just in case.

"Let's go." Bruce was practically bouncing as they headed for the hospital wing, dragging Tony along by the hand. Healer McCoy seemed surprised to see them, but offered a genial smile.

"What can I do for you boys, then?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Bruce's enthusiasm.

"I think I've found a cure for lycanthropy," Tony said bluntly, shocking the Healer. "Bruce won't let me put it through proper testing at Stark Industries, so we were wondering if you'd monitor him while he took it."

"Of course, of course," McCoy agreed, looking quite excited. "Give me one moment." He locked the door of the hospital wing with a spell, pulling back the curtains around the nearest bed for Bruce to sit on. The Ravenclaw toed off his shoes and hopped up onto the bed, allowing McCoy to place a monitoring charm on him, connecting it to a quill and parchment on the side table. The Healer then grabbed a quill and clipboard of his own, poised to take notes. "Ready when you are, gentlemen." Tony removed the vial from its box, uncorking it and handing it carefully to Bruce.

"Down it all in one, I can't promise it'll taste too great but it's probably not as bad as Wolfsbane," he remarked wryly. Bruce nodded, eyes fixed on Tony's as he necked the potion back. He swallowed harshly, his fists clenching at his sides.

"How do you feel? Tell me everything, even if it's insignificant to you," McCoy urged, keeping an eye on the readout of his monitoring charm.

"A little warm, pulse is racing, but that's probably just nerves," Bruce narrated. "Feels a little like my blood's pumping faster than usual — or something's flooding through it, I don't know. A little dizzy, but breathing and vision are fine. No pain yet—Ah! Pain! Pain! Definite pain!" He hunched over, clutching at his stomach, and Tony wished he could help him but knew better than to get close to someone testing an experimental potion. Bruce let out a cry that turned into a howl, and Tony worried for a brief moment that he would transform there and then. His chest heaved, and his shirt soaked through with sweat, pain clear in his eyes. "Stomach hurts, muscles tightening in my limbs," he gritted out as McCoy frantically scribbled notes. "Not worse than a transformation. The wolf seems to be… hiding. He's not gone, but he's not fighting me. Pain is easing." He took several steadying breaths, sitting back up straight and pushing his damp hair off his forehead. "Pain is barely there; just a bit of a stomach ache. I… I feel different. I feel like I'm more in control of my own body," he breathed, amazed. "The wolf is barely even there, but I can still feel him." He frowned, brow furrowing. "Is that supposed to happen? I mean, if I was cured, he'd be gone, right?" McCoy frowned, peering at the monitoring charm's readings.

"Everything looks to be in order," he murmured. "Let me take some blood, my boy, and we can see if the virus is still present." Bruce nodded, holding out an arm obediently, and McCoy drew a vial of blood with ease, wandering over to his desk to drop some onto a slide, fixing it in his microscope. Tony followed, wanting a look for himself. "Tony, take a look at this, back me up." McCoy stepped aside, and Tony peered into the microscope, cataloguing things carefully. He'd spent a fair portion of the last three weeks staring at Bruce's blood, and this was definitely different. The aggressive-looking little microbes that carried the lycanthropy virus and latched onto the blood cells weren't present.

"It's gone," he confirmed, a wide grin slowly coming across his face. McCoy matched it, patting him on the shoulder.

"Well done, my boy! Oh, this is marvellous! Bruce, I'd like you to stay overnight for observation, but I think we can quite safely say that you are no longer a werewolf. You're definitely no longer infectious, at any rate. Congratulations," McCoy added softly, his smile never faltering. "I'll leave you to get changed for bed. Mr Stark, please don't stay too late, Bruce needs his rest." With that, he retreated to his office, leaving the two Ravenclaws alone.

"You did it, Tony," Bruce breathed, grinning. "You saved me. I… thank you." Tony crossed to stand by his bed, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Don't thank me until we know for sure," he said halfheartedly. "But you're welcome." He pulled back, ruffling Bruce's sweat-dampened hair. "You should probably shower before bed. I'll leave you to it, I guess. Bacon in the morning?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"I love you, Tony," Bruce murmured, hopping off the bed and grabbing the hospital pyjamas that rested on the end of it. "See you tomorrow."

"Sleep tight, honeybunch." Tony waited until he was out of the hospital wing before whooping loudly, fist-pumping in glee.

.-.-.

The first full moon after Bruce had taken the potion, McCoy took him down to the shack anyway, just in case. Tony insisted on staying up all night in the hospital wing, waiting for Bruce to return; McCoy wouldn't let him come down with them, as he didn't want Tony to get hurt should something go wrong.

He kept himself busy by working through schematics on his tablet, and barely even realised it was morning until the doors burst open. Bruce practically ran through, beaming at him. "It worked!" he exclaimed, and Tony's heart skipped a beat. "Well, sort-of. I transformed, but it was painless, and I had complete control of the wolf," he added, slightly breathless. "It was like an animagus transformation, but forced; Healer McCoy says I'll still have to spend moons outside the castle, just for safety, but maybe in a few months he'll let me run in the forest instead of having to stay in the shack." A euphoric laugh bubbled up in his throat, and he hugged Tony so hard the billionaire's feet left the floor. "Thank you. I could say it every day for the rest of my life and it still wouldn't be enough, but thank you." Tony grinned, kissing Bruce's cheek.

"You're welcome, Bruce. I'm happy for you, I really am; you deserve to be free." And hey, if Bruce still transformed, they could still join him when they completed the animagus transformations. Not that Bruce knew about that. He looked over the other boy's shoulder at McCoy, who was watching them with a grin. "Is he free to go, or do you need to run more tests?" McCoy shook his head, stifling a yawn.

"No, I think I've run about as many tests as I can think of," he replied. "I'll put my notes together for you to send along with the rest of the research for Stark Industries testing and potion patenting," he added to Tony, who nodded. "But for now, he's all yours." Tony grinned, grabbing Bruce's hand.

"Bed time, I think," he declared, dragging him from the hospital wing. "I don't know about you, but I need sleep. And then we're calling the others together, because this deserves celebrating." Bruce stopped, nearly yanking Tony's arm out of his socket; evidently the werewolf strength was still there. Tony turned back with an eyebrow raised in query, seeing tears start streaming down Bruce's face.

"I'm sorry, I can't help it, I… this all feels like a dream," he rasped, shoulders shaking. Tony pulled him into a hug, and they both sank to their knees on the stone floor. It was too early for anyone to come across them, so Tony didn't hesitate to pull Bruce onto his lap.

"Let it out, big guy. Let it all out," he murmured soothingly. Bruce choked out another sob, gripping the front of Tony's hoodie tightly with both hands. Tony merely held him close, kissing his hair and whispering to him.

It was a long time until they got back up again, but neither of them really minded.


	38. Y5: The Madness of OWLs

_**Title:**__ The Madness of OWLs_  
_**Summary:**__ OWLs are upon the eldest of the Avengers, and some cope better than others._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3503_  
_**Pairings:**__ Pepper/Tasha, Steve/Tony, Clint/Coulson, Thor/Jane, _  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Spring meant only one thing at Hogwarts; exams. More importantly, for the fifth years, it meant OWLs. March melted into April, which drew dangerously close to May, and suddenly they realised that it was only a matter of weeks before their exams began. The library was constantly full, students were regularly heading to the hospital wing for calming potions, and in the midst of it all was Pepper Potts.

Not only was she revising for her own exams, she was making sure the rest of her fifth year friends revised, as well as dragging Tony out of Stark Industries projects because he insisted they couldn't wait even though they definitely could. He was letting her off her official SI duties, which she appreciated, but she'd appreciate it far more if he would actually sit down and do the work he was supposed to do. Steve had better luck getting him to concentrate… at least until both of them got distracted and started making out. Yes, it was better for both of them if they stayed apart during the hours Tony was meant to be studying. Of course, that didn't stop Steve from regularly dropping by with food and coffee, but Clint did the same for Phil and Pepper could hardly begrudge them that.

Her own relationship… the less said about it, the better. She had warned Natasha before the OWL madness had started that she was likely to get neurotic and crabby and stressed out, and Natasha had told her it was fine, but when that had become reality the Slytherin girl made herself scarce. Most of the time Pepper was perfectly happy with that — the less around to distract her, the better — but there were times when, after a long day of studying, she wanted nothing more than to sink into her girlfriend's arms, and Natasha just_wasn't there_. She couldn't really blame the younger girl — she wouldn't want to be around her, either — but it still sucked.

Pepper was currently in her room studying, for once. Phil was studying in his own dorm, and needed no checking up on. He was definitely her favourite right now. Bruce had text and promised that he and Tony were in Ravenclaw with Jane, making Herbology notes, and as for the Gryffindors, well… Peggy would sort herself out, and the boys would either fall into place and join her or stay in their dorm and not. None of them seemed to be that bothered by OWLs, but Pepper supposed they were all set to take over their respective family businesses, regardless of exam results.

Growling under her breath, Pepper shoved her Ancient Runes textbook away, head pounding. She needed to keep reading, but none of it would stick when her mind was like this. She almost didn't notice the knock at the door, looking up when it swung open slowly. "I come bearing sugar," Natasha declared with a half-smile, gesturing with the tray in her hands. She had a mug of what was probably coffee, a bowl of raspberries and the biggest slice of chocolate cake Pepper had ever seen. God, Pepper could already feel herself salivating.

"I don't have time for a break," she said instead, reaching for the folder she kept her Potions notes in. Most of them were Tony's — the one subject in which his notes were better than hers — and she hoped they'd be a little less headache-inducing than Runes.

"Come on, you look like you could use one. Ten minutes, fifteen tops," Tasha urged, setting the tray on the small part of Pepper's desk that wasn't covered in books and paper. She moved behind her girlfriend's chair, massaging her shoulders gently, but Pepper shrugged her off.

"Thanks for the coffee, and the food, but I really don't have time for this. Go bug Clint or something," she said somewhat snappishly. Tasha raised an eyebrow, folding her arms over her chest.

"I'm bugging you, am I?" she asked sharply. "Next time I won't bother then. But I can't hang with Clint, because he's with Phil, who actually _recognises_ that studying twenty-four hours a day isn't healthy."

"Phil is in the top five of every class, he can afford to take breaks," Pepper retorted, reaching to sip at the coffee Tasha had brought.

"Pepper, you're right up there with him! You're best friends with Tony goddamn Stark, that doesn't mean you have to compare yourself to him! Or Bruce, or Jane, or even Phil; you're just as smart as he is and we both know it. If you don't want me around, just say so, but I'd appreciate it if you'd just accept the damn help when it's offered to you," the Slytherin girl argued. Pepper turned in her chair, glaring.

"Natasha, you don't understand! If I don't get good grades in these exams, I won't be able to take the subjects I want to for NEWTs, and then how the hell will I get a decent job?"

"Pepper, you _have_ a job!" Natasha exclaimed, eyebrows raised. "You're Tony Stark's PA. When you're both graduated and working fulltime for Stark Industries you'll be the most obscenely well-paid PA in the world and we both know it! I get these exams are important to you, but you'll burn out if you spend all your time in your books! It won't kill you to take a little time out and actually talk to your girlfriend who has barely _seen_ you in a month!"

"Where the hell were you three weeks ago, then, when I was actually taking breaks and could have used some time with my girlfriend who was _never around_." Natasha scoffed, giving Pepper an incredulous stare.

"Are you kidding me? I tried to be around, and you snapped at me every damn time! I came to find you and you were in the library with the others, or up here studying on your own. Tony lets Steve drag him away for some down-time, Bruce lets Tony and Steve drag him with them, Phil will happily drop the books to go with Clint, Jane and Thor take breaks together, the boys barely study in the first place and Peggy takes breaks whenever she needs to go yell at Bucky! You're the only damn one who won't let anyone take care of you, so I gave up, okay!"

"Well maybe that's for the best!" Pepper yelled back, and both of them froze, eyes wide as they realised where their argument was heading.

"This isn't working out," Tasha murmured, perching on the edge of Pepper's bed and tucking one knee up to her chest.

"It's really not," Pepper agreed softly. If she was honest with herself, the tension had been there for longer than she'd been in exam-frenzy. All their friends' relationships had moved forward and they'd gotten closer together as time went on, and they'd just sort-of… stayed in place. "Promise me, Tasha," she said, meeting the Slytherin's eyes. "Promise me that if we break up, we'll stay friends. I don't want to make the others choose sides."

"Of course," Natasha agreed immediately, not needing to think about it. She had nothing against Pepper — even if she was a little pissed at her right now — they just weren't doing well as a couple. "And I think it's more 'when' at this point, don't you?" she added wryly. Pepper sighed, finally getting up from her chair and moving to sit beside the other redhead.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, leaning her head against Tasha's shoulder.

"Not your fault; these things happen. And hey, even if I'm not your girlfriend, can I convince you to take a break and have some chocolate?" she asked, making Pepper chuckle.

"I think breaking up with my girlfriend entitles me to a day off for chocolate cake and a little crying," she retorted. Tasha frowned, sliding an arm around her.

"Pepper…" Pepper shook his head, meeting her eyes confidently.

"No, no, I'm okay. It's for the best, we'll end up killing each other at this rate. But, uh, if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone for a little while?" Natasha nodded, leaning in for one last kiss.

"I'll, uh, let the others know, yeah?" Pepper shrugged.

"Sure, but let me tell Tony. You know how he is, he'll assume something catastrophic happened," she added with a weak chuckle. Natasha snorted and got to her feet, tucking Pepper's hair back behind her ear.

"I'll see you in the morning, then. Don't stay up too late, you need your sleep." With that, she left the room, heading for Clint's room where she knew she'd find both Clint and Phil, wanting nothing more than to curl up between them for a while. Pepper, on the other hand, leaned back in her bed and summoned the tray over, tipping the bowl of raspberries over the chocolate cake. Fork in one hand, she reached for her phone, pressing the speeddial number for Tony.

"Hey, Pepper Pot, how's it hanging?" Tony asked, an ease to his voice that let her know he was with Steve, and possibly Bruce.

"Tasha and I broke up," she told him, voice shaking a little. Tears started trickling down her cheeks, and she wiped them away in annoyance. It was a mutual break-up, she shouldn't be crying over it!

"Oh, honey," Tony breathed, concerned. "Need me to come over? Bring ice cream?" She laughed, the sound somewhat wet.

"No, no, it's fine. It was mutual; we've been weird for a while, it just took time to realise it. I'm okay, I just wanted you to hear it from me so you didn't start taking sides or whatever. We're staying friends," she added.

"You sure you don't want me to come over? I have it on good authority that I give great hugs," he told her, drawing a smile to her lips.

"Tempting, but I'll pass. You have a nice evening with Steve and Bruce, if he's there too."

"No, he's studying with Jane, though I think they've gone off track again. Just me and Steve for now, want me to pass you over?" Pepper hummed in affirmation, smile widening at Steve's voice.

"Hi, Pepper. Is everything okay?" he asked, worry clear in his tone.

"Tasha and I split just now, it wasn't working out. But I'm okay," she assured firmly, as if saying it would make it true. "I just need a little cry and some alone time."

"Wow, Pepper, that's awful, I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?" he asked in true Steve fashion.

"No, not really. Just… don't make things weird? Tony too — I know you're listening in, mister. Tasha and I are gonna stay friends, and I don't want you guys acting weird and protective when we're together, okay? She didn't do anything wrong," she insisted.

"No problem," Steve agreed easily. "And I'll keep Tony in line." She heard a faint noise of offence that had to have come from the Stark heir. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call, okay? I'll pass you back to Tony. Have a nice night, Pepper."

"You too, Steve." There was a pause, before Tony was back on the line.

"I won't get all weird and protective. Scout's honour," Tony promised, making her smile.

"Tony, you were never a scout," she pointed out dryly.

"Point still stands. I'll let you have some time to yourself now, but like Steve said, you need anything, I'm just a button away. Love you, Pep," he added softly.

"I love you too, Tony. Goodnight." She hung up, letting the phone fall beside her as she started cutting up the cake with the fork. Yeah, she wouldn't be getting any work done for the rest of the night.

.-.-.

The group had easily split in two; those who were in fifth year, and those who weren't. Clint, Steve, Bucky, Sif, Rhodey, Natasha and Darcy had taken to hanging out together, especially in the last two weeks before the exams. They had exams of their own to study for, and any time they tried to do so in front of their fifth year friends, they were subjected to a rant about how their exams weren't nearly as important as the ones they were gearing up to take. Steve and Clint were the only ones who had real contact with the fifth years, spending nights with their respective boyfriends and visiting them during the day to make sure they hadn't died or anything. Tony wasn't exactly studying, but he joined his yearmates for moral support, and did occasionally do some work when the mood struck.

The break-up between Pepper and Tasha had been accepted fairly quietly, without much bad blood, though Clint did glare at Pepper for a little while until Natasha told him to stop. They all had more important things to concentrate on, anyway. With exams a mere few days away, there wasn't a person in Hogwarts who was seen without a book in hand. "Merlin, why did I take Arithmancy?" Darcy groaned, resting her head on Clint's shoulder. He ruffled her hair in sympathy, a half-smile on his face.

"Because it looks good on your CV?" he reminded her. She snorted, rolling her eyes.

"Who the hell needs a CV? I'm getting Tony to hire me as soon as I graduate," she insisted. "He already promised he would."

"He was sleep-deprived and on a caffeine high, I don't think it counts," Steve told the Hufflepuff girl, who glared at him.

"Lies." Clint snickered, shoving her off his shoulder to prompt her into getting back to work.

"First exam tomorrow. You ready?" Bucky queried, earning vehement denial from everyone in the room.

"Hell no. But it's Charms, which is probably my best subject, so I think I'll be okay. I'm more worried about getting Phil to sleep tonight; Herbology followed by Potions for him, tomorrow," Clint replied with a wince. It was well known that Phil's least-favourite subjects were Herbology and Potions.

"I think they've all written Herbology off as a loss," Bucky remarked with a snort. "I know Pegs has." To everyone's amazement, the couple were still together, though the entire castle seemed to be counting down the days until Peggy finally lost her temper with him. Even Bucky himself seemed impressed.

"They should be fine with Potions, though. Tony and Bruce have drilled it into them enough, I think they'll take it as a personal offence if any of them fail," Steve joked, his Charms books long abandoned for his sketchpad. He was feeling fairly confident about his exams, for once. An upside of the serum was improved mental capabilities, such as memory. When you added that to the extra knowledge that came just from hanging around Tony Stark so much, and he was feeling pretty good. He glanced down at his watch, frowning faintly. "Speaking of Tony, I should get to bed," he remarked, then blushed when he realised how that sounded. No one called him out on it, though, for which he was grateful.

"Yeah, I think we all should," Rhodey agreed, rolling his shoulders and wincing when they cracked loudly. "Don't want to turn up zombified to the exam tomorrow." They packed up their things, and the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins went one way, while the Gryffindors went the other. Steve went with his Gryffindor friends, though broke off from them to head to Ravenclaw when they reached the right corridor, hands in his pockets and a faint smile on his face. It was kind-of nice to walk through the corridors without having to worry about bigger kids trying to beat him up.

He solved the riddle to get into the common room fairly easily, and no one still in the common room was surprised to see him in there. He'd become a near-permanent fixture in Ravenclaw house over the past eight months or so. Heading up the stairs to Tony's dorm, he knocked once and didn't wait for an answer before entering. Bruce was in bed with a Herbology textbook in his hands, while Tony was playing with a snitch in his own bed. His face lit up when he spotted the blonde, and he sat up. "Steve!" he exclaimed cheerfully, jumping up to tackle his taller boyfriend in a kiss. "Hey, handsome. How you doing? Nervous?" Steve shrugged, one arm sliding loosely around Tony's waist.

"A little, but not really. I don't think I'll fail, which is all I have to worry about. How about you?" He directed his question at both Tony and Bruce, toeing off his shoes in order to crawl into bed with Tony, swatting the snitch aside. Tony's hand darted out lightning-fast to catch it, and he set it back in its box.

"I'm okay. A little nervous, but I'd be worried if I wasn't. Tony's hyper, please make him stop," Bruce requested politely, not looking up from his book. Steve snorted, and Tony grinned even wider.

"Bruce, sugarplum, he can't make me stop with you in the room. Unless you're into that sort of thing," he added with a wink towards his friend. Steve rolled his eyes, too used to Tony's insinuations to blush. It was all bark and no bite; they hadn't even had sex yet. Steve wasn't fifteen until July, and they both agreed they weren't in any rush.

"C'mon, Tony. You need your sleep," Steve murmured, rubbing his boyfriend's shoulders gently in the way he knew Tony couldn't resist. Sure enough, his head dropped, and he let out a pleased hum.

"But Steeeeve, I'm not tired," he whined, sounding like a child. Steve snorted, kissing his neck.

"Tony, sweetheart, come on. Brush your teeth and let's go to bed, early start tomorrow." With a fair amount of prodding, Steve managed to get Tony into bed, and Bruce set his book aside and got the lights with his wand.

"Night, guys," he called, rolling over and shutting the drapes. Steve pulled Tony's shut after they'd both said goodnight to Bruce, then wrapped Tony in his arms, pulling him close.

"You've got enough stuff up here to last you through exams, right?" Tony queried, and Steve nodded. They'd planned for Steve to stay in Ravenclaw, knowing Tony wouldn't sleep if left to his own devices. There was a duffle bag full of Steve's stuff in the bottom of Tony's wardrobe.

"Should do, yeah. If not, we can always call a house elf to bring stuff over." Tony smiled, resting his head on Steve's chest, fingers tangling in the soft cotton of his sleep shirt. "Just sleep, Tony. Even geniuses need their sleep," he added teasingly, carding a hand through his boyfriend's dark hair. Tony hummed, hugging Steve tighter and getting comfortable. He was still practically vibrating with energy, but Steve just let his hands roam, gently massaging and soothing all the spots he knew would turn Tony into a happy puddle of goo. He smirked to himself when he felt the Ravenclaw's breathing finally even out, shutting his own eyes to join his boyfriend in sleep.

.-.-.

Exams spanned three weeks in total, and by the end of those three weeks, everyone in the castle was just about brain-dead. The fifth and seventh years more than anyone else, though they also had the trouble of having to anxiously await their results all summer. Steve managed to talk Tony out of throwing a post-exams party, insisting that everyone just wanted some sleep and some time to relax. They only had a week left of school as it was, and they wouldn't be doing much in it. Still, they managed to gather in the Room for a movie night, staying up until well gone midnight joking and having popcorn fights and generally getting rid of any tension leftover from exams. It was, thankfully, several days after the last exam; no one had wanted to be in the same room as Phil and Clint once they finally embraced their freedom.

Pepper felt a lot better with the exam stress gone, and as Bucky and Peggy had split after exam week one, it was less awkward to be around the group. Even Clint had stopped acting strangely around her, and she was confident that after a summer's break, no one would even remember that there was anything different. "Come sit down, Pepper Pot, you're missing the best part," Tony urged, reaching over the back of the couch towards her. He'd grabbed the biggest couch, enough to fit himself, Steve, Bruce and her on it, and the hollow between his legs and Bruce was waiting for her to return to it. She smiled, grabbing the popcorn she'd gotten up to get in the first place and hopping over the back of the couch, resting her head on Bruce's shoulder. He smiled at her, shifting his arm around her shoulders to be more comfortable. At least they had another two years before NEWTs.


	39. Y5: Building Bridges

_**Title:**__ Building Bridges_  
_**Summary:**__ Thor is fed up of Loki pretending he doesn't know him. As summer begins, he is determined to win the boy over._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2797_  
_**Pairings:**__ Thor/Jane, Steve/Tony_  
_**Year:**__ Five_

* * *

Loki sighed to himself as he pulled his trunk towards the Hogwarts Express, squeezing his way through the crowds of people desperate to head home for the summer. Going home on his own over Easter had been the worst idea he'd ever had, but even Thor's presence couldn't distract Odin from Loki over a whole summer. If he thought he could get away with it, he'd hide in the castle until the beginning of the new school year. However, while he could probably live in the incredible room Sif had shown him, he was sure at least one person would notice him missing eventually.

Heaving his trunk onto the train, he wandered down in search of an empty compartment. Darcy was with her friends, and Sif and the boys were in with Thor; he didn't mind. He liked spending train journeys on his own. "Brother!" He stifled a groan at the booming voice, turning slowly on his heel. "Come join us in our journey home!"

"No, thank you," Loki replied curtly, trying to edge away from Thor. The blonde teen took up the entirety of the narrow corridor, and he was holding up the crush of people trying to find seats. Since he was Thor, no one really minded. "I'd much rather sit alone." He hated the look on the Gryffindor's face, like a kicked puppy, but it was better than the alternative of spending the entire trip in his company. He needed time to balance himself in preparation for an entire summer living with Thor, trying not to reveal his feelings.

"Oh," Thor murmured, frowning. "I… of course. If that is your wish. However, should you change your mind, we will welcome you with open arms."

"Fantastic." Loki continued on his way, resolving not to turn around and look at the crestfallen expression on his adoptive brother's face. If he did, he might not be able to walk away.

Finding an empty compartment near the end of the train, he secured his trunk in the luggage rack and pulled a book out of his satchel, curling up in the corner of the compartment. He only had a few more hours of blessed silence; he had to make the most of them.

.-.-.

Thor's shoulders slumped as he watched Loki walk away, and he yearned to reach out and beg the younger boy to tell him what he'd done wrong. "Come on, honey. You're blocking the corridor," Jane urged, leaning in the doorway of their compartment and placing a hand on his arm, a sympathetic look in her eyes.

"Right, of course." Thor slipped back into the compartment, taking his seat between Jane and Hogun once more, a morose expression on his face. Jane leaned up to kiss his cheek, leaning against his shoulder.

"It's not your fault, Thor," she insisted gently. "Loki is… strange." Thor bristled automatically, opening his mouth to defend his brother. Loki wasn't strange, merely difficult to understand. Unfortunately, Thor didn't think he was one of the people who did. Every time he thought he was close to understanding his younger brother, Loki went and did something that set him right back at the beginning.

"I have done something to offend him," he declared firmly; there was no other option. "I only wish he might tell me what that is so I can make amends."

"There is nothing for you to make amends for, I can assure you," Sif piped up, a book open in her lap and her feet tucked up underneath her. "Loki has many things weighing on him, and he needs to work through them on his own. The best thing you can do is give him the space he desires." Thor wanted to believe her, he really did; though her romantic relationship with Loki hadn't worked out, she was still probably the Slytherin's closest friend, perhaps except for Darcy.

"If I give him space much longer, I fear I shall never make up the distance between us," he implored. The look on Sif's face told him that that was quite possibly Loki's hope, and it made Thor feel cold inside.

The train began to move, and Thor allowed himself to be dragged into boisterous conversation with Volstagg and Hogun, Sif occasionally interrupting with a snippet of logic to derail their arguments. His heart wasn't in it, though, and he was glad when more of their friends dropped by for a visit, filling the small compartment with even more voices to make up for the lack of enthusiasm in his own. His mind was several compartments down, dwelling on the image of Loki all on his own while Thor was surrounded by friends. He knew Darcy was sat with Clint, Phil and Natasha, and hoped that maybe the Hufflepuff girl would seek Loki out sooner or later. If he knew Darcy, it was likely she would.

Jane left with Tony, Bruce and Steve, going to talk science with her fellow Ravenclaws before they were parted for a whole nine weeks. She, like all the rest of them, had an open invitation to either of Tony's homes — New York or London, Tony assured them he'd be splitting his time between them — and would probably take him up on that when the urge to create and experiment grew overwhelming. Bruce, from what Thor knew, was planning on practically living with Tony for the summer. While his other skin was far more complacent since Tony's potion, his mother didn't trust him. From the little Thor was aware of, the relationship between the werewolf and his mother had been strained since Bruce was turned, and now he was growing older she was feeling less guilty about making him spend time anywhere but home.

"Sif, will you walk with me for a moment?" he requested softly, not wanting to disturb the conversation between Pepper, Rhodey, Bucky and Peggy. Sif raised an eyebrow at him, but nodded, sliding her bookmark into her book and leaving it as a claim to her seat. Thor left the compartment without murmuring his excuses, and Sif tucked herself into his side so they could talk properly in the narrow train corridors. "Please, I need to know how to repair my relationship with Loki. I… he has not been the same, recently. That, or I have become more aware of how much he keeps hidden about his true feelings." He suspected it was the latter. "I can't stand feeling like this anymore, Sif. I can't bear knowing he hates me."

"He doesn't hate you," Sif told him, her voice so firm that Thor believed her. "Loki loves you, he just… it's complicated. He has no problems with you, Thor, but I'm sure you're aware how little regard he has for your father. I'm sure Loki's problems stem from not wanting to associate you with Odin. He can't bring himself to trust you when there's the chance you might turn out the same way as he is." It physically pained Thor to hear confirmation that Loki didn't trust him.

"But I am nothing like my father!" he insisted earnestly. "Once, perhaps, but as I grow older I am less blinded to Odin's faults, and I find myself drawing more distinctions between us."

"Then let Loki see that," Sif replied, smiling faintly. "Perhaps treat him as a friend, instead of a brother. His adoption has always been a point of contention for him, and he feels you are denying his true heritage by insisting upon your relation. You have the whole summer, Thor; no Hogwarts, no separate houses, nothing but his own wit to allow him to keep hiding from you. He may spend a week at Darcy's, but that's still eight weeks in which you two will be living together. We both know you and Odin are two very different people; show Loki that, and he's likely to trust you again." Thor brightened, and Sif paused, brows furrowed.

"What?" Thor asked apprehensively, not liking the look on her face. The dark-haired girl bit her lip, looking uncomfortable.

"There are things you don't know; things that I cannot tell you for fear of breaking Loki's confidence. If he is still somewhat wary of you even after you regain his trust… do not push him. He needs to come to terms with that on his own." Thor yearned to know what she was talking about, but knew he couldn't force her to tell him Loki's secrets. He didn't want to hear it unless it came from the Slytherin's lips himself.

"Of course," he agreed, brightening slightly. There was hope, after all! "Thank you, my lady; as usual, you are the wisest of us all." He hugged her around the shoulders, and she smiled, slipping an arm around his waist to squeeze back.

"Of course I am," she replied with a laugh. "You boys need someone to keep you in check." Thor chuckled, and the pair of them turned around to head back to their compartment, Thor already drafting a plan in his mind. By the end of the summer, Loki would be speaking to him again. He was sure of it.

.-.-.

When the train came to a halt in Kings Cross Station, Loki waited until it was nearly empty before finally shutting his book and grabbing his trunk, making for the platform. Glancing out of the window, he saw Thor with Odin and Frigga, greeting his mother with a hug that lifted her clean off her feet. Would they really notice if he didn't turn up? Odin clapped Thor on the shoulder, checking his watch pointedly, and Loki sighed; of course they would. He couldn't delay it any longer.

Frigga smiled warmly at him as he approached them, reaching out to hug him tightly. "Loki, dear," she murmured, kissing his forehead. "Good to see you. How did your exams go?"

"Well enough, Mother," he replied, managing a smile in return. Frigga had never done him wrong; her only fault was marrying Odin.

"Good, you're both here. Shall we get going?" Odin asked impatiently, not moving to greet Loki the same way he'd greeted Thor.

"Might I have a moment to say goodbye to Jane, father?" Thor asked hopefully, and the bearded man rolled his eyes.

"Yes, very well." Thor grinned, darting towards where Jane was stood. She was laughing at Stark, who was making an enormous production of having to be separated from his boyfriend, clinging onto Rogers' waist with an iron grip that barely bothered the tall blonde. Loki smiled faintly, though it was bitter. It was times like this he wished he'd taken Darcy up on one of her many offers to join her friends more often. Thor and Darcy's friends were good people, from what he knew of them, and their friendship with Natasha proved they had nothing against Slytherins. Stark was even nice to him, the few times they spoke, which was more than half the school could say. Maybe next year, once he got over his stupid infatuation with Thor.

"Hey, Loki!" He turned automatically at the call, just in time to catch the snorter brunette as she flounced into his arms, hugging him tightly. "My parents are here so I gotta split, but you're still coming to mine for a week right?" Darcy beamed at him, kissing his cheek, and he couldn't help but smile back.

"Of course. I'll call you," he promised, patting his coat pocket in which his Starkphone resided. He still didn't know why he had one, only that it was Darcy's doing. "See you soon."

"Love you." With one last hug, Darcy was darting off into the crowd, her Hufflepuff scarf flying out behind her.

"Who was that?" Odin asked with raised eyebrows, narrowed eyes fixing on his adoptive son. Loki forced himself not to blush, meeting the man's gaze with his head held high.

"My friend Darcy. The one I'm spending a week with later in the summer."

"Don't you remember, dear? She stayed for a while last summer; she's friends with Sif and the boys, too," Frigga added, squeezing her husband's arm. Loki's lips curled in a frown at that; Darcy wasn't friends with the others like she was friends with him. Darcy was his _best_ friend. The way Frigga spoke made it sound like Darcy, like everyone else, only hung around Loki because she hung around Thor and the others.

Thor returned, a pleased grin on his face and a smudge of Jane's pale lipstick on his cheek that made Loki's stomach turn. "I'm ready to leave now, Father." Odin nodded shortly, resting a hand on Thor's shoulder to direct him toward an empty area of the platform, apparating away with the blonde without a word. Frigga held out an arm to Loki, who linked his through hers, and a split second later he was jarred by the uncomfortable sensation of side-along apparition.

.-.-.

Thor managed to escape his father's office several hours after arriving home, having discussed just about everything of mild interest to the man. Thor's grades, his quidditch performance, his NEWT choices, his friends, the arrangements to sign the paperwork making him his father's heir as soon as he turned seventeen in November. Plenty of things that could have waited, and plenty that Thor felt Odin had no business asking about to begin with. Still, he played his father's game, staying as vague as possible with the details he didn't want the man knowing, and practically ran from the office as soon as he was dismissed.

Wandering down to the kitchen, Thor raided the cupboards and piled together a sandwich, wolfing it down in barely a minute before heading back upstairs, intent on finding Loki.

He found the younger boy in the library, in his usual chair with a book on his knee, music playing quietly in the background. Loki didn't look up when Thor entered, though the slight furrow of his eyebrows let Thor know he hadn't gone unnoticed. Clearing his throat, he waited patiently for Loki to finish his page before giving him an expectant look. "I was wondering if you'd like to come flying with me?" Thor asked hopefully, trying not to fiddle with the hem of his shirt in anxiousness.

"No, thank you," Loki replied evenly, polite as ever. Thor frowned, but didn't let it deter him.

"Then… may I stay and read with you?" Loki blinked, the surprise clear on his face. Thor couldn't really blame him; he never read of his own volition. Still, he nodded, even as he eyed Thor strangely.

"You live here, too; I can hardly bar you from the Library." Thor grinned, heading over to the Transfiguration shelves to get out a book on human to animal transformations, taking it back with him to the chair opposite Loki's. Tony had promised to get working on a way to speed up the animagus transformation, now he was done with OWLs and Bruce's cure, but in the mean time he'd advised them all to start the process as normal,and see how far they could get. "You hate Transfiguration," Loki commented, peering over the top of his book to eye Thor's choice.

"I'll need to get ahead if I have any hope of passing my NEWT," Thor reasoned. He'd like to tell Loki the real reason, but Bruce's secret was not his to share. "I cannot rely on my friends like I did with my OWLs." Loki's expression held a faint look of pleased surprise — and a tiny amount of pride, if Thor looked closely enough — and it made the blonde force down a grin.

For once, the pair managed to be in each others' company for hours at a time without an argument breaking out, reading in a companionable silence. Occasionally, Thor would break it in order to ask Loki what a term or phrase meant, and Loki would answer as succinctly but informatively as he could. Thor couldn't stop himself from smiling, and when Frigga came up to call them to dinner, the astonished look on her face upon finding them together quickly gave way to a grin. Thor stood and left his book on the chair, planning to come back to it, and he smiled when Loki did the same. "Maybe we could keep reading after dinner?" he requested of the Slytherin. Loki blinked in surprise, before Thor was rewarded with the smallest smile, but a smile nonetheless.

"That would be acceptable," Loki replied, darting ahead of him to get to dinner before Odin could chide him for being late. Thor followed, beaming, and made a mental note to sends some strawberry fudge to Sif in thanks for her advice. He would have Loki's friendship back by the end of the summer, he was sure of it.


	40. Y6: Little Talks

_**Title:**__ Little Talks_  
_**Summary:**__ Thor knows there's still something not quite right with Loki. He wasn't expecting the answer he found._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3656_  
_**Pairings:**__ Onesided Loki/Thor, Thor/Jane_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

Loki had been doing so, so well.

Five weeks of steadily repairing his fractured relationship with his brother — it was hard to ignore Thor when he became so determined, he was like an overgrown puppy — and he had been almost certain he was getting over his stupid infatuation. Yes, he still found Thor insanely attractive. Yes, he still had dreams about fucking him; and waking up next to him, and living with him, and _marrying_ him. But he was doing very well at pretending he didn't. Thor hadn't noticed, at any rate, and he was so very happy at having Loki pay attention to him again. Since they had read together the first night, it had become a habit of theirs to spend evenings in the library, much to the bafflement of Frigga and Odin. Loki was always surprised at how intelligent Thor could be when he wasn't even trying, and bitterly mused that it was probably the same unexpected intelligence that attracted Jane Foster.

Either way, things had been going brilliantly, until Loki returned home from a week at Darcy's, having assured his best friend that he was quite sure he was on his way to getting over Thor. It was an unseasonably hot day, the hottest they'd had all summer, and when Loki returned to the house it was to find both Odin and Frigga at work, and Thor nowhere to be found. Somewhat crestfallen at his lack of a welcome, Loki went to unpack his things, figuring he would find the blonde Gryffindor later, when it grew closer to lunch time. There was no way on earth Thor would stay out past lunch.

His room was sweltering when he arrived, and Loki immediately crossed to open a window — and froze. There, in the sky above their expansive garden, was Thor on his broom. Shirtless, and most definitely close enough to give Loki a good eyeful. Loki's spine tingled as he was hit with almost overwhelming lust, going from zero to hard in a split second. Mouth going dry, he couldn't help but watch as Thor practiced his beater's swing, the practice bludger zooming around him. The blonde's tanned muscles glistened with sweat as he flexed and swung his bat hard at the offending object, sending it careening away towards the trees. There was a faintly purpling bruise on his shoulder that betrayed at least one missed shot, but he was beaming as he continued to work. Loki didn't think he'd ever seen Thor quite so carefree as he was when he flew; it was breathtaking.

Suddenly aware of how creepy he was being, watching his half-naked adoptive brother practicing quidditch, Loki forced himself away from the window and shut the drapes firmly, to deter himself from looking again. Turning to his suitcase, he set about packing as he resolutely ignored the uncomfortable hardness tenting his trousers. It wasn't as if he hadn't pleasured himself to thoughts of Thor — most days, it was all he could think about — but somehow doing it at home, knowing Thor was just outside… it was too risky.

By the time he finished unpacking, Loki just about had himself under control. Glancing at the clock, he frowned; no wonder his stomach was rumbling, it was long past lunch time. Slipping from his room, he wandered down the empty corridors towards the stairs, planning on getting a start on lunch. If he didn't make something for Thor, the older teen would only end up eating his disgusting muggle snacks. Honestly, how he maintained his muscles when he seemed to mainline the sugary treats, Loki didn't know.

Pulling some pans down to cook pasta, Loki hummed under his breath, wishing he'd brought his StarkPlayer down with him. Having friends in common with Tony Stark certainly had its advantages. Still, as he chopped up vegetables for the sauce, he was so engrossed in cooking that he didn't notice when the back door opened. "Loki!" He almost chopped his finger clean off at the happy call, whipping around and trying very hard not to let his jaw drop. Thor was stood by the kitchen table, broom propped over his shoulder and shirt hanging off the end of it. Which meant he was still shirtless, muscles gleaming with sweat, his hair tied back out of his eyes. "You have returned! I didn't know you would be so early; had I known, I would have waited for you to arrive before going out to fly." He barely gave Loki a chance to drop the knife and step away from the cooker before he was striding forward, large arms outstretched. Loki was sure he made a faint squeaking noise as he was enveloped in a tight hug, all that bare skin and muscle pressing against him. He'd had dreams that went along these lines; though, admittedly, in those dreams he was also wearing far less clothing.

"Thor!" he exclaimed, voice somewhat strangled as he tried to angle himself away from the Gryffindor so his… reaction to the hug was unnoticeable. "You're all sweaty!" Thor pulled away, smiling sheepishly in apology as he reached up a hand to untie his hair, tossing it out like a girl in one of the muggle hair adverts he'd seen on Darcy's television.

"Apologies, Loki. I am merely happy to see you," he replied unashamedly. That was another thing; Thor had stopped calling him 'brother' over the summer. Loki didn't know if it was a good sign or a bad one. "Did you have a good time at Lady Darcy's?" Thor set his broom on one of the kitchen chairs and hopped up to perch on the table, legs swinging. Frigga would have smacked him for doing so were she home.

"I did, thank you. She sends her regards," Loki replied, turning back to the pasta; mostly as an excuse not to stare at Thor's naked chest. "I'm making enough for two, but you can only have some if you go upstairs and shower," he told the older boy sternly, not needing to look to know Thor was pouting.

"Very well, very well. I shall return in but a few minutes." There was a thump and a scuffle, before the sound of socked feet padding against the tiled floors and finally silence. Turning to make sure Thor was well out of earshot, Loki let out a long sigh, reaching down to adjust himself and stifling a moan as his fingers brushed the outline of his sensitive cock. Had he not promised to make lunch, he would be darting up to his room to take care of himself. Thor was truly going to be the death of him.

.-.-.

As much as the majority of the school seemed to think otherwise, Thor wasn't stupid. He knew there was something bothering Loki, even despite their newfound closeness. He loved it, being able to spend time with Loki without worrying about offending or upsetting the younger boy, or being yelled at to go away. It was like when they had been younger, before Odin had told them that Loki was adopted, but… different. Better.

It hadn't been easy, by any means. Loki had been as wary as a skittish colt, and twice as crafty in hiding himself away. Thor had spent the entire summer doing whatever he could to prove himself different from his father, standing up to the imposing man and taking more of an interest in the family business, figuring out how to improve it without keeping money back from those who deserved it. He thought he had surprised Loki when he'd gone to the Slytherin to ask for help making business plans he could implement as soon as he took over control of the company once graduating Hogwarts. It was a whole two years away yet, but… the sooner he started, the more prepared he would be.

Slowly, Thor had won back the trust of his adoptive brother, but even now there was something off with the Slytherin, something he was keeping back from Thor. It was exactly as Sif had predicted, and Thor yearned to know the dark-haired boy's secret, wishing he could help with whatever it is Loki was dealing with. Was there something wrong with him? Surely he wouldn't be like Steve, keeping a medical condition secret from them until it was almost too late. Loki would tell him if it was something dangerous.

Determined to at least attempt things, Thor waited until late in the evening, after their parents were in bed. He knew Loki would still be up — the Slytherin always stayed up late — and padded down the corridor towards his brother's room, keeping his footsteps as silent as he could. Knocking gently on the door, he waited for confirmation before pushing the door open, spotting Loki curled up in the loveseat by the window, reading. The black-haired boy looked up in surprise, brows furrowing as Thor shut the door behind them. "Thor? Is everything alright?" he queried, and Thor sighed.

"I'm not quite sure yet," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "May I sit?" He gestured to the edge of the bed, only a few feet from the window, and Loki nodded, setting his book aside.

"Of course. What can I do for you at this late an hour?" Perching on the edge of his brother's bed, Thor looked Loki square in the eyes, expression earnest.

"There is something not quite right with you, Loki," he murmured, not entirely sure where to begin. "I am so very happy with how close we have grown this summer — I swear to you, nothing pleases me more — but… I still feel like there is some barrier between us. Something greater than every other hesitation you had about trusting me; something you keep so very close to your heart that it makes it very difficult for me to reach it." He watched Loki tense, the teen's blue eyes shuddering closed for a moment.

"Are you sure you're not just imagining things?" he asked with a faint chuckle that held no humour. Thor frowned in frustration, shaking his head.

"We both know I'm not. Please, Loki, I understand if it is something you don't trust me with yet, but… I only want to help. I can hardly bear this distance between us, even now, and it pains me to know that it exists when there may be something I can do to close it." Loki snorted bitterly, shaking his head.

"Trust me, Thor; there is nothing you can do to close this gap. And if you knew, I doubt you'd want to," he insisted, and the amount of self-loathing in his voice made Thor ache. Daringly, the blonde teen got to his feet, edging closer and perching on the arm of Loki's seat.

"I don't believe that is your decision to make," he murmured, resting a hand on Loki's shoulder, thumb brushing the teen's pale neck above the collar of his pyjama shirt. "How can you say there is nothing I can do when I don't even know what ails you?" Loki tensed under his touch, eyes going wide, and the next thing Thor knew there were lips pressed firmly against his own.

He should have pushed him away. He should have ended the kiss before it could even started, should have told Loki that under no uncertain terms should he ever do that again. Of the long list of things he should have done at that instant, wrapping his arm around his adoptive brother's back and pulling him closer was definitely not one of them.

It was only when Loki's tongue tentatively slipped out to prod at Thor's lower lip that Thor realised what he was doing, pulling back in shock. Loki, still caught in the circle of his arms, stood like a deer in a lumos spell, wide-eyed and fearful. Before Thor could say anything, Loki's shoulders slumped, and a sob shook his entire body, bubbling from his lips. "I'm sorry," he gasped, voice already wet with unshed tears. "I shouldn't have done that, I shouldn't, I'm sorry, don't hate me, just _forget_, I won't, I can't—" Thor's eyebrows shot up in alarm as he recognised the beginnings of a panic attack, and he pulled Loki close to his chest, cradling him as he had when they had both been young, and the dark-haired boy had come to him after a nightmare or other such fright.

"I will always love you, Loki. You are my brother in all but blood, my friend… you have been with me through everything, even when you pushed me away," he whispered strongly into the Slytherin's ear, picking him up with ease and moving them both to perch on the end of Loki's bed, where he could pull the slighter boy into his lap and hold him tightly, running soothing fingers through his hair. "Do not panic, my raven; I'm surprised, but I do not hate you. Just breathe; focus on my breath." Moving Loki so his ear was pressed against Thor's chest, he stayed quiet as he took several long breaths in and out, smiling as he saw Loki begin to breathe with him, tears still soaking through Thor's pyjama shirt.

"I'm sorry," Loki said again once he had regained himself, eyes squeezed shut as he struggled feebly against Thor's hold. "Pretend that never happened. Just… go back to bed, Thor, and wake in the morning as if this was all a dream. Or a nightmare, if you wish to look at it that way." Thor bit his lip at the defeated tone of Loki's voice, but didn't make any move to release him.

"But how can I pretend it never happened when this changes everything?" he asked softly, more to himself than to the other boy. Of everything he had thought might be bothering Loki, this had never even been a brief thought. For Loki to have… feelings for him, he had never entertained the idea; why should he? As far as he had known, Loki hated him at the very least. How long had he thought about him romantically?

"It shouldn't change everything," Loki protested quietly, struggling a little harder in Thor's grip, though to no avail. "Things were just fine how they were before I was so foolish as to… to kiss you." Shame dripped from his words, and Thor couldn't help but kiss his temple gently, leaning his head against Loki's.

"If you think things were just fine, then you clearly have a strange perception of fine," Thor retorted, fingers still tangled in Loki's dark locks. "Rest assured, Loki; I do not hate you. I could _never_ hate you, no matter how many times you kiss me, nor anything else you do. We have grown together, and I love you. Now sleep." With a well-timed move from Thor, the pair of them were lying down on the bed, Loki still in Thor's embrace.

"Thor!" Loki squawked in protest, arms flailing within the iron bands that were Thor's biceps. "What are you doing? Go away!"

"What, and leave you to work yourself into a panic all night?" Thor retorted stubbornly, holding Loki with one arm while he used the other to awkwardly grab the blanket at the base of the bed, bringing it over them both. "I will do all I can to convince you that this changes nothing about what I think of you. Including stay with you now." He shifted to get comfortable, leaving Loki half-sprawled against his chest, and murmured 'nox' to plunge them into darkness. The Slytherin looked up, meeting Thor's gaze warily.

"You didn't push me away," he whispered, tearful eyes glinting in the pale moonlight streaking through the window. Thor bit his lip; he needed to think about that himself before trying to give Loki an answer as to why.

"I'll never push you away from me, Loki," he said honestly. "Now sleep. We can talk more in the morning."

Thor stayed awake until Loki stopped crying silently and his breathing evened out as he fell into slumber. Finally trying to sleep himself, the Gryffindor found it came harder than expected, the feel of Loki's lips on his burning like a brand as he tried to figure out what he was going to do. He appreciated Sif keeping Loki's secrets, but could she not have given him some sort of warning?

.-.-.

Loki woke to a strange weight over his chest, and a harder surface than his usual pillow under his head. It was only after he cracked an eye open and saw a worn Gryffindor quidditch team t-shirt under his cheek that the memories of the night before came flooding back, and he froze, panic flooding his veins. How had he been so _stupid_? What had he been thinking, kissing Thor like that?

He scowled, wishing he could bang his head against something. That's what he got, he supposed; it had just been late, and he had been tired, and Thor had been so _understanding_, it had been hard to remember why it was such a terrible thing for him to know. Now, however, he wished he'd had a bit more control over himself.

Attempting to wiggle out of Thor's solid embrace, he cursed silently when the arms tightened around him. "We need to talk, Loki." Thor was awake. Of course. Craning his neck to meet the blonde's eyes, Loki tried to ignore his stomach's anxious churning.

"There's nothing to talk about," he said feebly, making Thor frown, He shifted them until they were lying side by side, facing each other, Loki still pinned by Thor's arm.

"Loki, don't be hasty," Thor breathed, an imploring look in eyes that made Loki still, waiting to hear what he had to say, daring to hope it wouldn't be terrible.

"Fine," he agreed reluctantly. "Say your piece." Moving Thor's arm, he shuffled up to sit up against the headboard, and Thor immediately moved to sit up as well, going cross-legged opposite Loki.

"You startled me, last night," the blonde began, and Loki couldn't help but snort. He'd gathered as much. "I… how long have you felt this way about me?"

"Months and months. Years, even." He couldn't really pinpoint the moment his feelings had changed; they had crept up on him so silently he began to wonder if they had always been there. Thor gaped, clearly surprised.

"So long, and you never said anything?" he wondered, making Loki scowl.

"What could I have said? I'm your little brother, Thor. I don't need you to tell me how wrong I am."

"There is nothing wrong with you," Thor interrupted, so fierce that Loki was taken aback. "We are related by love and law, but not by blood; there is nothing immoral about the way you feel, and don't you ever believe that there is." Loki waited with bated breath as Thor clearly thought out his next words carefully, reaching out to lay a hand on Loki's knee. "I could easily love you, you know," he murmured, sounding almost awed. "Romantically, that is. I already love you platonically, and nothing will ever change that. You are… I don't think you've ever realised how much you amaze me." Loki couldn't help but blush, ducking his head at the older boy's words, and Thor smiled fondly. "It's true. I was a little jealous of you when we were younger. You were so smart, so quick to understand even that which you were not meant to for several years yet. I often felt like the younger sibling, you outwitted me so easily. I never understood why you were so upset when your parentage was revealed; as far as I was concerned, we were brothers regardless of blood. I apologise for how long it's taken me to stop being blind to how Odin treats you."

He squeezed Loki's knee, and bit his lip in a way that filled Loki with dread. "I could easily love you," he repeated, meeting Loki's eye without hesitation. "And I am flattered that you feel that way about me. But… regardless of my feelings on the matter, I am not a free man when it comes to romance." Loki's heart turned to lead, and he swallowed thickly.

"Of course," he murmured, hating how his voice cracked. "Your Lady Jane."

"I love her, Loki," Thor said plainly. "And I make no apologies for that. I only hope that you do not despise me for being unable to return your feelings." Loki snorted, raising one dark eyebrow.

"I think my actions from last night prove that I could never despise you if I tried. Merlin knows I have." Thor flinched at that, and Loki felt guiltily pleased.

"I'm sorry, my raven," Thor said softly, leaning forward in an attempt to hug Loki, and it was the Slytherin's turn to flinch. He hadn't heard that nickname since he was barely seven years old and Thor had welcomed him into his bed to comfort him after a nightmare. Odin had found them, and raged at Loki, insisting he was being childish and there would be no Thor to coddle him after the blonde went to Hogwarts. It was the last night Loki went to Thor for comfort, and the beginning of the gap that grew between them.

"I want to be alone," Loki muttered, pushing Thor away before he could become trapped in the hug. Thor's arms dropped limply, and he nodded, a broken expression on his face that had Loki itching to reach out and soothe his woes, but he couldn't.

"Of course. I… I'm going to go get breakfast." Thor edged off the bed, heading for the door, and only paused for a moment before quietly leaving the room. Almost as soon as the door shut behind him, Loki brought his knees up to his chest and sobbed.


	41. Y6: Dogs are for Life

_**Title:**__ Dogs are for Life, Not Just for Christmas_  
_**Summary:**__ Everyone expected Tony to be the first one to make the transformation, or maybe Clint. Steve has a surprise for his boyfriend when they get back to school._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2328_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

Steve sat on his narrow bed, staring at the ceiling in hopes of clearing his mind. There were only a couple of days left of summer, and he was eager to get back to Hogwarts. He'd spent half of the summer with Tony, and seen his friends plenty over the nine weeks, but… it would be nice to go back, and all be together properly again. And things were already looking to be so much more interesting when he went back; his Hogwarts letter had come with everyone else's when he'd been staying at Tony's, and brought with it two new badges. Prefect and Quidditch Captain, Steve Rogers. He'd been particularly astounded at the second one, sure it would have gone to Thor or one of the boys or even Peggy, all of them older and having been on the team longer than him. Bucky had pointed out that Steve was captain material more than any of them, and it would be better if he could get the hang of it soon because in two years almost all of their team would be graduating, and he'd have to replace them. Tony, with his own Quidditch Captain's badge in blue and silver, had been so very proud. They'd hardly left the bedroom all day, in celebration.

At Hogwarts, he never found himself with nothing to do like he did at home. Although, strictly speaking, he wasn't doing nothing; meditation was key to the animagus transformation, and he was _so_ close. Tony's research had helped, the Ravenclaw having developed a potion to force the transformation once, so they knew how it felt. Still, the potion could only be used once, and as Steve had found out, there was a fair amount of work to do to repeat it. Luckily, the animagus transformation was wandless magic and therefore not detected by the Ministry. Not that it had mattered when he was at Tony's — the older boy had wards up preventing magic detection — but now he was back home, he could still continue his attempts. He still had to be careful when he did it, or risk his mother finding him with dog ears or a tail. He'd managed almost every part of his body separately, but had yet to make the full transformation without the aid of Tony's potion. He could feel it coming closer, though, and knew it would happen any day now.

None of the others had made their transformations yet, as far as Steve knew; though updates in the form of amusing pictures had been sent via text of almost every single one of them, depicting the person in question with some sort of animal appendage. Pepper with a squirrel's tail had been his favourite. Steve doubted he would be the first to transform when so many of the others were older and more skilled than him, but his magic had done nothing but surprise him since the serum; he hoped this may be another instance in which it pulled through.

Growling in frustration, he shifted to try and get comfortable, sitting up and leaning back against the wall, his legs crossed. Shutting his eyes and attempting to block out the noise of the city outside, Steve attempted to slip into that calm, controlled part of his inner mind that allowed him to access his animagus form. It was harder than he'd expected, to stay relaxed and undistracted for so long. He knew he wasn't the only one struggling to reach the meditative state; Bucky had spent many hours complaining to him about it.

The best thing Steve could liken it to was the mindset he got when flying; the state of mind in which he completely forgot everything but what was happening in the air. Unfortunately, with the animagus transformation, it didn't even give him that to concentrate on. All he had was blankness, and the hope that he might come across at least a part of his animal form. No doubt once they all got back to school, transformations would be happening left right and centre, and Steve didn't want to be the last one.

Biting his lip as he tried to concentrate, Steve forced himself not to be distracted by the itch in his knee, or the buzzing in his ears. Trying to find his magical core, he kept his breaths long and shallow, feeling anticipation well up in him as he got closer and closer to the necessary meditative state. When it happened, it startled him.

The world began to spin, and he couldn't help but open his eyes, alarmed when everything was in shades of black and white. He felt uncomfortable, sprawled haphazardly on his bed, and when he tried to right himself he flailed even harder. Cursing under his breath, his eyes went wide at the growl that escaped his lips instead. He tried to sit up once more, and finally realised why it wasn't working; he had paws. Four of them, to be exact, and they were sinking into the squishy mattress whenever he tried to move. His heart thudded furiously in his ribs, and Steve attempted to use all four of his legs to push himself up. He fell off the bed rather than jumped off, landing in a heap of fur on his carpet, but he was too excited to care.

It took several attempts before he was stood on four legs, wobbling slightly, and each step was like running a marathon; whatever the books had said about moving the animal form coming naturally, they lied. He felt like Bambi on ice. Eventually, however, he managed to make it to the floor-length mirror on the front of his wardrobe door, and he fell into a sitting position as he couldn't help but stare. He was a German Shepherd alright; a huge one, with large soulful eyes and a smooth coat. Steve wished he could see in colour so he could get a proper look at himself, but supposed it would have to wait until he could get someone else to take a picture of him. He yearned to draw his animal form, to study the dog in detail, but that would be impossible. Unless he asked Tony, who seemed to take 'impossible' as a personal challenge.

Getting shakily to his feet, Steve padded closer to the mirror, turning to get a better look at himself. He barked in laughter when his tail began to wag without his consent, and was glad he was home alone when he realised how loud he was. He had better work on that, or the neighbours wound complain. Pets weren't allowed in their building. Stepping in awkward circles to try and see every part of his new body from as many angles as possible, Steve fell onto his side with a soft thump. Okay, that would take some work to get used to. Glancing up at the clock, he panicked when he realised his mom would be home soon; if she came home to find him missing and a dog in his room, she'd freak.

Jumping back up onto the bed with about as much grace as a newborn foal, Steve tried to descend into the meditative state once more, valiantly ignoring the worry that he wouldn't be able to, that he'd be stuck as a dog forever. He'd never transform back if he couldn't calm down.

Steve was unsure of how much time passed, but eventually the world spun once more, and he found himself lying on his bed, decidedly human again. He let out a long breath of relief before a wide smile overtook his face, and he whooped quietly in triumph. He'd done it! Unaided by the potion, he'd transformed completely into his animal form!

Sitting up, Steve frowned when he heard the front door creak open and his mother call out a greeting; anything more would have to wait. But he had three days before heading back to Hogwarts; three days in which to work on switching smoothly between human and dog, ready to surprise Tony when he saw him next. Getting to his feet, feeling strange to be back on two legs, he added 'walking as a dog' to his mental to-do list. It wouldn't be very impressive if he transformed in front of Tony, only to fall on his butt as soon as he tried to take a step.

.-.-.

It was the second day back at school before Steve got the chance to show Tony the progress he'd made. The first day back had been full of greeting friends he'd not seen in a while, eating far too much food and making out with Tony in the Ravenclaw dorms until Bruce got fed up and threw a pillow at their heads to get them to knock it off. Now, however, the first day of lessons were over, and Bruce was down in the lab for the rest of the evening working on some potions project he'd started at Tony's over the summer. Steve knew better than to ask.

"Come on, Tony, I've got something I want to show you," the Gryffindor urged, tugging on Tony's hand impatiently as they headed towards the Ravenclaw dorms. Tony smirked, winking at him.

"What could you possibly have to show me in private that's so important?" he teased, reaching out to squeeze Steve's ass playfully. "I've seen it all before. Though that is definitely not a complaint if you want to show it to me again," he added, smirk widening when Steve blushed.

"It's nothing like that," he insisted, embarrassment clear in his face. "Just… come on. I'll show you when we get to the dorm room." Tony rolled his eyes, solving the statue's riddle, and the pair of them went straight up to the sixth year boys' dorm. Despite having only been there a day and a half, Tony's side of the room already looked like a bomb had hit.

"What's this big surprise you've got, then, handsome?" Tony asked with raised eyebrows, perching on the edge of his bed and making teasing grabby-hands towards Steve's waist. Steve huffed, rolling his eyes and stepping into the centre of the room.

"Close your eyes," he instructed. "No peeking." Tony frowned, but did as asked, shutting his eyes tightly. Steve shut his own eyes, taking a deep breath as his mind went to the now familiar place needed to transform. He'd worked tirelessly on reaching the right state, and the more he did it, the easier it became.

Managing not to land in a heap after the abrupt change from two legs to four, Steve looked up at where Tony was still sat on the bed, eyes closed and knee bouncing impatiently. "Can I look yet?" he whined, and Steve grinned, barking once. Tony jumped, eyes opening, and his jaw dropped when he saw what his boyfriend had done. "Oh… Merlin. Steve, is that you? You did it?" Steve barked again, nodding in affirmation, and Tony beamed, practically throwing himself to the floor to wrap his arms around Steve's neck, ruffling his fur. "That's amazing! I'm so freaking proud of you!" He leant back, then smirked, rubbing at Steve's head. "Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy? You are! Yeah you are!" Steve growled lightly at the mocking tone, butting Tony's wrist with his nose, and the Ravenclaw laughed. "Seriously, Steve, this is so awesome. God, let me get a look at you!"

Steve obediently turned at Tony's command, tail wagging happily as Tony's hands ran over his sides and back. He had to admit, being petted felt _really_ nice. "You are just too adorable, y'know that? My god, you're like an overgrown puppy." Steve snorted out a growl, rolling onto his back, and Tony laughed as he gave him a belly rub, Steve's leg twitching in pleasure. "I am going to have _way_ too much fun with this. I always wanted a dog, but dad never let me."

Eventually, Steve got back to his feet, licking at Tony's face to make the older teen splutter. "Hey, quit it!" Tony protested, laughing. "Can you change back? Actually, wait, hang on a second." He stood up, pulling his phone from his pocket. "Smile for me, honeybear." Steve sat down, giving a wide doggy grin, and Tony snapped a photo, no doubt texting it around their friends. "The others are gonna be _so_ jealous, I know Clint thought he'd make the transformation first. You can change back now," he added. Steve shut his eyes once more, and after a few seconds was back to his human form, getting to his feet.

"So, what do you think?" he asked, grinning. Tony raised his eyebrows at him.

"What do I think? I think my boyfriend is too damn talented for his own good, that's what I think!" Tony's expression was playful, and he stepped closer to wrap an arm around Steve's waist. "I wanted to be the first to transform!" Steve couldn't help but laugh at the whining tone to his boyfriend's voice, leaning down to kiss him.

"I'm sure you'll transform soon," he soothed. "It's really pretty easy once you get the hang of it. I managed to hold it overnight a couple of nights ago." He was glad his mom had taken the early shift, or she would have walked in on him asleep as a dog.

"You're amazing," Tony told him with a proud smile, kissing him once more. "And, y'know, if you wanted to show me that _other_ surprise," he drawled, one hand working at Steve's belt to make it very clear what he was referring to. "Bruce won't be back for hours." Steve chuckled, turning them around towards Tony's bed and stepping out of his trousers on the way, fingers working nimbly at Tony's shirt buttons. The Ravenclaw's phone was bleeping non-stop, no doubt with texts from their friends commenting on Steve's transformation, but… it could wait.


	42. Y6: Coming Clean, Letting Go

_**Title:**__ Coming Clean, Letting Go_  
_**Summary:**__ They say if you love someone, let them go. Jane can't help but wonder if he'll ever come back._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2250_  
_**Pairings:**__ Thor/Jane, Thor/Loki, Steve/Tony, Clint/Coulson_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

Before long, everyone was so firmly settled in at Hogwarts it was like they had never left. Very little had changed — the eldest of their group had a lighter class schedule but more work as they began their NEWT work, and four more prefects joined their ranks to no one's surprise — and Jane was still amazed at how, after five years, it felt more like home than her actual home did. She was much more comfortable hanging in the Gryffindor common room with her friends or experimenting with Bruce and Tony down in the labs than she ever was with her parents.

This was one such situation, though she wasn't as comfortable as she usually was. Sitting with Thor in the library was never usually a problem for her; the only problem she had was keeping him focused enough to actually work. Darcy was with them, though she was happily entertaining herself with the games on her Starkphone, her headphones in to give them some semblance of privacy. As much as Jane had complained and grumbled over the years about Thor's wandering hands when she was trying to study, she found herself missing it when the blonde Gryffindor kept his hands politely on the desk, a quill gripped gently in one as he wrote. Jane wasn't the suspicious type of girl, and she was usually pretty laid back, but Thor had been a little stand-offish ever since they'd returned for sixth year. He hadn't greeted her as enthusiastically as he usually did — like they'd been parted for years instead of days or weeks — and was far more reserved about his displays of affection, which was most unlike him. Not only that, but they'd hardly had any alone time in the three weeks they'd been back, and hadn't spent the night together once.

Jane sighed to herself, tucking her hair behind her ear and looking back down at her textbook. He'd been busy; they both had. NEWTs threw all of them in at the deep end, and while she was smart enough to understand the work without problems, the sheer quantity of work expected was keeping her busy. Thor had even more to do on that front, despite having one less class than her, and he had quidditch practice on top of that. Not everybody could be Tony Stark, who was taking twice the recommended amount of NEWTs, running SI (with Pepper's help) and captain of the Ravenclaw quidditch team, and still had time to be sickeningly adorable with Steve every ten minutes. Honestly, the pair were practically married by now, despite being the newest couple in their group. Jane was a little jealous, to be honest. Between those two and the horribly in love, cohesive unit that was ClintandPhil, she couldn't help but be insecure about the stability of her own relationship.

But either way, it was probably nothing.

.-.-.

It was a Saturday, and for once Thor didn't have quidditch practice for most of the day; probably because Tony had been bugging Steve about wanting a Saturday lie-in pretty much as soon as they'd gotten back to school, and Steve had relented like the spineless, lovestruck fool he was. Not that Jane was complaining. Having her boyfriend free on a Saturday morning was too good an opportunity to pass up.

After a late breakfast, Jane excused herself from the Ravenclaw table with a promise to come science with Bruce and Tony that afternoon — apparently using 'science' as a verb was contagious — and went to squeeze herself between Thor and Sif, kissing her boyfriend's cheek with a smile, uncaring that it was bulging with pancake at the time. "Lady Jane!" Thor greeted once he'd swallowed, pressing a chaste, syrup-sweet kiss to her lips. "What brings you to my side this glorious morning?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out for a while. Maybe go for a walk around the lake or something, before the weather gets too crappy to ever go outside. What do you say?" she asked with raised eyebrows, stealing a slice of banana off the edge of his plate.

"That sounds most enjoyable," he confirmed, smiling, though Jane couldn't help but notice that his heart wasn't in it quite as much as usual. Pushing her unease away, she turned to talk to Sif while she waited for Thor to finish his meal, surprised that the younger girl was up so late. She usually rose early, even on weekends, but apparently an essay had kept her up late.

When Thor's plate was clean, the pair of them bid goodbye to their friends and made for the entrance hall, Jane's arm slipping around Thor's hips. His rested comfortably over her shoulders, though when she looked up at him he wasn't looking at her, or even where they were going, preferring to stare aimlessly into the sky, expression thoughtful. "So what's up with you, anyway?" she asked when they were far enough from the castle to be considered alone. Thor blinked, snapping out of his thoughts, and arched an eyebrow in enquiry.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You've been acting weird," she replied bluntly. "Not like, really weird, but weird enough for me to notice. Less… enthusiastic. Mostly about me. Did I do something wrong?" The stricken look that crossed his face was proof enough that she'd struck a nerve, and apprehension began to pool like acid in her stomach.

"You have done nothing, my lady; I cannot stress that enough."

"Then did _you_ do something wrong?" she asked, brow furrowed in confusion. Thor swallowed convulsively. "Oh, Merlin, what happened?" Had he cheated on her? Were his parents making him go to Durmstrang? Had they threatened to betroth him to some pureblood girl?

"I… I am still unsure how I feel about it," Thor began, removing his arm from her shoulders in order to look her in the eye. "Bear with me, my lady, please. I have been trying to figure out how to tell you, but I do not think there's any easy way to say it."

"To say what?" Jane pressed, dread rising. She tried not to show her panic, but the look on Thor's face was definitely not reassuring. Suddenly, she was wishing she'd kept quiet; whatever it was, she probably didn't want to know. But it was too late now, and not knowing wasn't an option. "Just tell me, Thor. I promise not to react until you've explained yourself."

"I found out why Loki has been avoiding me all these months," he told her, making her blink in confusion.

"I thought you said you two were getting along now?" He'd been so happy in the summer when they'd video-called, telling her about how much time he was spending with his brother now. She'd hardly seen the Slytherin since school had started back, but that wasn't unusual. Loki kept to himself, except for Darcy.

"We were, to an extent. But then… I pushed when I probably shouldn't have. There was still a gap between us, and he was bothered by something. But when I asked… he kissed me." There was surprise in the blonde's voice, like he still couldn't believe it had happened, and Jane gaped.

"Kissed you? Like, on the lips?" Thor nodded, making her eyes go round in astonishment. Loki had a _thing_ for Thor? "But… he's your brother. He's two and a half years younger than you; he's _fourteen_. He might be adopted but he's still your _brother_, God, Thor!" She looked up at him, and a sickening sense of realisation hit her at the look on his face. Sort of guilty, sort of yearning, but a lot ashamed. "You kissed him back, didn't you?" It was more of a statement than a question, resigned instead of accusing. His eyes had grown dimmer with every reason she'd listed as to why Loki shouldn't like Thor, why a relationship between them would be bad news, but there was nothing on his face that said he agreed with her.

"I… I could not push him away. He is Loki, and I have loved him for the fourteen years I have known him, without fail. Even this cannot make me stop." Jane stifled a sob; that was answer enough for her, she supposed.

"Maybe… maybe it would be best if we broke up," she said, having to practically force the words out. Thor's eyes went wide, and he gripped her shoulders almost hard enough to hurt.

"Jane! Please, I may not have pushed him away but I did not encourage him, and I told him that we could not be together because I am in love with you! I can never apologise enough for my infidelity, small as it may be, but _please_ do not punish me so harshly!" he begged, blue eyes beginning to shine with tears.

"I know you love me, and I love you!" Jane insisted, "but sometimes… sometimes that's not enough. Can you honestly tell me that, if it were a choice between Loki and me, that you wouldn't pick him every time? If you could only have one of us in your life." Thor's mouth opened and closed as he sputtered like a goldfish.

"But-but Loki is my brother! It is different!" That told her everything she needed to know, really.

"Is it really? Because he doesn't sound like a brother when you talk about him!" she argued, a little more spitefully than she'd intended. "You don't talk about him the same way you do about Fandral and Volstagg and Hogun, and you always said those three are as much your brothers as Loki!" Stopping herself — she did still love Thor, and getting angry would only hurt both of them — she took a calming breath, squaring her shoulders and shrugging his hands off. "This isn't because he kissed you, Thor," she assured evenly. "I don't blame you for that. And I don't blame you for not pushing him away; you didn't want to hurt his feelings. But I think we should break up because I don't think you're as emotionally committed to me as you are to Loki. Even if you don't like him romantically… knowing he's in love with you and knowing you'd go to his side in a heartbeat if he needed you, even if I needed you as well… I can't cope with that. And I'm sorry. I do love you, Thor. I will always love you, and maybe one day we can get back together, if… if Loki ever gets over his feelings. But until then, I just _can't_, and I hope you don't think less of me for it."

"Jane, _please_," he begged once more, crying in earnest now, and she leaned up for one last kiss. His stubble scratched her cheek, and he still tasted a little of syrup and bananas. Tears escaped her eyes as she pulled away, but she determinedly wiped them away.

"I'm sorry, Thor. But look at it this way; if the only thing stopping you from considering Loki as a boyfriend is the fact that you already have a girlfriend, maybe you don't love him as platonically as you thought. Just think about it. And… please don't hate me. I'll stay away from Gryffindor for a while, but we can't avoid each other forever, and I really don't want to have to." Thor looked even more stricken at the prospect of avoiding her, and he nodded quickly.

"We are still friends," he assured her. "But… yes, it would probably be best if we stick to our respective houses for the while. Are you sure I cannot change your mind?" Jane swallowed the sob that rose when his face was not as hopeful as his voice, and turned away.

"No, no. This is for the best. I'll… I'll see you around, Thor." She started walking before he could pull her back and convince her to stay with him, which she would if he tried hard enough to. Tears fell onto the already damp grass as she walked, and her shoulders heaved as she took long shuddering breaths. She tried to convince herself that she wasn't completely devastated, but that was a lie; she had honestly thought she and Thor would be together forever. She'd thought they'd be like Clint and Phil, who were destined to get married straight out of Hogwarts and be together forever. She'd thought they were one of those couples who would make it out of high school, instead of crashing and burning, but she supposed that was what all the adults said about teenage relationships; even when you thought yourself in love with someone, you probably weren't. Except she was. Her love wasn't the problem; Thor's, on the other hand, was probably already directed more towards a dark-haired Slytherin fourth year, even if he didn't know it yet.

Jane started up through a shortcut towards the Ravenclaw tower, hoping Bruce and Tony weren't hanging out with Steve still. She could really do with some support from people likely to rationalise and understand why she'd done what she'd done. At least with Tony, it was an honest fifty-fifty split on whether he would choose Bruce or Steve. He was the type of guy to just say screw the rules and demand both. Unfortunately, none of them would survive if Thor tried to keep both her and Loki, she knew that now.

Besides, no one did comfort-eating and cuddles like Tony Stark.


	43. Y6: Lion's Den

_**Title:**__ Lion's Den_  
_**Summary:**__ With all the Gryffindors in their group having a quiet night in the common room, Sif is very aware that Thor is the quietest of all. Sometimes, she wonders what her boys would do without her._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 1734_  
_**Pairings:**__ Thor/Loki, Steve/Tony_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

It was surprisingly quiet in the Gryffindor common room, even for a weeknight. It was ten at night, and the room was empty aside from the group of fifth and sixth years gathered around the fireplace. Sif glanced over at Thor, who was a quiet participant in the conversation, so unlike his usual self. Their entire group had been a little rocked by his and Jane's breakup, despite it seeming fairly amicable. Both of them insisted that sides were not to be taken, and things would go back to normal soon, but… they had been together for over a year. It was different to when Peggy and Bucky had broken up, their relationship only lasting several weeks, and there was nothing to distract them all like there had been after Pepper and Natasha had ended things. The news was steadily filtering through the school, with most giving Thor and Jane a wide berth — not including the greedy-eyed girls who were already trying to take advantage of Thor's return to single-ness — though every now and then someone made a passing remark, unaware that the couple were no longer together, and Thor and Jane would both crumble.

Still, Sif couldn't help but notice that Thor's silence seemed less morose than she'd expected, and more thoughtful and introspective. She didn't know what was going on in his mind, but had confidence that he'd come to her if he wanted her to know. She turned back to their group with a small smile, asking Hogun to repeat his question.

They took up rather a lot of space, with all the chairs and sofas gathered around the roaring fire. Even Steve was with them for once, after Bucky had mock-whined one too many times about how he was never to be found in his own common room anymore. Sif couldn't really blame him for spending most of his time with Tony, but it was nice to have him around again. He was curled up in an armchair, drawing quietly and occasionally interjecting when he had some input into the conversation. He was drawing in his red sketchpad, so none of them asked to see what he was drawing. The red sketchpad was his private one; the Gryffindor keeper had thrown a small fit when Peggy had opened it out of curiosity, only to find pages of rather… intimate drawings. Mostly of Tony, yes, but also art of all of them, captured in moments that Steve always felt a little embarrassed about wanting to draw. Moments when the subject would have their guard down; even if nothing about the picture itself was lewd or explicit, Steve still didn't like them all looking at it; if he wanted anyone to see it, he'd give it to the subject when he was finished with it. And there were still too many sketches of Tony Stark's naked body for any of them to ever be comfortable touching it. While Steve's blue sketchbook was fair game to be flipped through at leisure, no one asked to see the red one.

Peggy was on the floor leaning up against Steve's chair, her feet resting in Bucky's lap. The largest sofa was taken up by Thor, Fandral and Volstagg, while the other held herself and Hogun. If not for the melancholy air about Thor, it would have been a lovely evening to just have the Gryffindor contingency together for once. They spent plenty of time as an entire group in the Room of Requirement, and even at the age of fifteen Sif could hardly rid herself of the boys for more than ten minutes at a time, but rarely did the two sections of their group — her, Thor and the boys, and Steve, Peggy and Bucky — come together like this.

Looking back down at her half-written essay, Sif sighed and set her quill down, giving in for the night; she was hardly likely to write anything of worth with her brain so otherwise occupied. "You okay, Sif?" Bucky asked, craning his neck to look up at her. "That was an awful big sigh." She smiled at him, reaching out to briefly card her fingers through his hair in assurance.

"I'm fine," she promised. "Just growing weary of Arithmancy." He snorted.

"I could've told you that was gonna happen. I still don't know why you picked it. I mean, I get you're a brainiac and everything, but still, _Arithmancy_?" Sif couldn't help but laugh at the confusion in his tone.

"It's a useful subject," Peggy piped up, and Bucky rolled his eyes.

"You're taking a NEWT in it, of course you'd say that." Sif smiled at the familiar playful bickering between the two, exactly the same as before they'd dated, both of them firmly moved on. Peggy was seeing some Ravenclaw in the year above, and Bucky was back to his habit of going through any girl that wanted him. It was strange having one of their group properly dating someone outside of it, but it was bound to happen eventually. Not all of them could keep it in the family, so to speak.

"It's getting late," Hogun declared, looking around with a faint frown. "And everyone but me has quidditch practice in the morning. We should go to bed."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Peggy agreed, looking at her watch. She reached up, gently tapping Steve's knee, breaking him out of his sketching focus. "Time for bed, Steve."

"It's that late already?" the blonde asked with raised eyebrows, surprised. At Peggy's nod, he flipped his sketchbook closed and put it back in his bag, stretching as he got to his feet.

"Are you heading back to Ravenclaw, or will you actually spend the night here for once?" Bucky asked with a smirk, making Steve blush.

"No, I'm staying here for the night, I already told Tony I would."

"Sif, would you mind helping me put my books away?" Thor queried, an earnest look on his face as everyone else rose around him, and Sif didn't hesitate to nod. The rest of the group bid their goodnights and went upstairs, until Sif and Thor were the only ones left.

"What ails you, my friend?" Sif asked, moving to sit beside Thor. She did help him put his books away, but there really weren't that many, and it was clear that wasn't his true intention in asking for her help.

"I know Loki's secret," he admitted easily, and Sif tensed. "I should have listened when you told me not to push him, but I was concerned, and… he kissed me. In the summer, in his bedroom." Sif listened carefully as her friend explained everything that had happened, right up until his breakup with Jane. "I do not know what to do from here, I admit. I still love Jane, but… she told me to reevaluate what I think I feel for Loki. I have tried, though it still feels like I am betraying her."

"Well, how do you feel about him?" she asked simply, sliding an arm around his broad shoulders. "Jane is not part of the equation anymore. All that matters are your feelings for Loki, whatever they may be."

"But I have no idea what they are!" Thor protested, shaking his head. "I have always loved him as I was told to love him; as my brother. I never even considered that love taking another form until… until now." Sif frowned, squeezing him gently. She needed to make sure that whatever happened, Thor was absolutely certain in his feelings. It wouldn't do him nor Loki any good for him to rush things without thinking about it, or ignore things out of propriety. But if Thor truly could love Loki back in the way he wanted… Sif supposed it couldn't hurt to nudge them along a bit. She loved Jane, but Thor and Loki deserved each other.

"But now you are reconsidering?" she presumed, and Thor nodded, leaning into her.

"I don't want to hurt him, Sif. Whatever comes of this, I never want to hurt Loki." His voice was deadly serious, and Sif smiled at him.

"I know that, Thor. Which is why you should take your time with this; think carefully about how you feel about him. Don't be too hasty, and do not agree to anything until you are absolutely sure it's what you want. The last thing you want is to lead Loki on," she mused. He nodded, looking thoughtful.

"Yes, I would never want to do that. I… I shall wait, for now. Mourn my relationship with Jane before I consider beginning a new one, and with Loki for that matter. It would not be fair on him for me to date him 'on the rebound', as Bucky calls it." At his words, something eased in Sif; of course Loki would be safe in Thor's hands. How could she ever doubt otherwise?

"That sounds like a good plan; give yourself enough time to figure out whether you love Loki romantically as well as platonically. Though, forgive me for being forward, but… it sounds like you have already made up your mind." Thor blushed, but a smile flickered across his face.

"I suppose I have, in many ways. But Loki is flighty, and prone to running at loud noises. It will take an age to get close enough without making him bolt," he pointed out, sounding somewhat morose.

"But are you willing to wait that age?" Sif asked, eyebrows raised. Thor met her eyes easily, a determined expression on his face.

"Without a doubt."

"There's your answer, then," she replied, grinning. Her two friends would have a happy ending if it killed her. "Just be gentle with him, and eventually it will be worth it." Thor gave her an amused look, bumping her shoulder with his.

"My lady, it is already worth it." He leaned in to kiss her cheek, then got to his feet. "Goodnight, and thank you for the advice. Hopefully by the time Loki is willing to spend time with me once more, my thoughts will be more in order." With that, he went up to bed, leaving Sif alone in the common room. She shook her head, a fond smile at her lips. It was easy to forget just how intelligent Thor could be without even trying. One day, he might just stop surprising her.


	44. Y6: Three's Company

_**Title:**__ Three's Company_  
_**Summary:**__ After an offhand comment from Clint, Steve starts thinking about something he previously didn't dare to. Luckily, the archer is there to help._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3406_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony, Clint/Coulson, pre-Steve/Tony/Bruce_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

Steve absently batted away the foam ball that sailed towards his head, giving Clint an annoyed look. "We're meant to be studying," he pointed out, gesturing to the books and parchment spread out over the table. They'd been paired together in a Potions project, and Clint had spent most of their time together trying to bug Steve into asking Tony to do it for them. Steve refused, both because it was cheating, and because Professor Pym would definitely recognise Tony Stark's work.

"But it's boring," Clint protested, hanging upside-down from a bar of the elaborate climbing frame the Room of Requirement had provided for him. "Can't we just hang out for a while and do it later?" Steve rolled his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips as Clint shot him a pleading look.

"Fine, fine." He gathered up his parchment and shoved everything back in his bag, propping socked feet up on the table. "How's stuff with you? I haven't seen you much since school started back other than in group stuff." Clint swung neatly down off his frame, landing on graceful feet and hopping over the edge of the couch, sinking into the comfortable cushions.

"I know, but I've been kinda busy. And Phil's taking this whole prefect thing to a new level; I keep telling him he needs to delegate now that he's not the youngest in the group, but he doesn't listen. Hell, Rhodey has offered a dozen times to take over some of his duty hours. Those little brat first-years are the biggest cockblocks ever," he grumbled, making Steve laugh.

"I wouldn't know; Bucky covers my duty hours half the time, even though he's not a prefect. But most have learned to just find me during class hours as I'm not likely to be in the tower at night," he reasoned, blushing at the smirk on the Hufflepuff's lips. "Oh, shut up, like you don't spend every night in Phil's bed." Clint winked, tucking his feet up underneath him.

"I never said I didn't," he agreed. "Tasha keeps telling me I should start spending some nights away from him, because we've only got a little under two years until he graduates and I'm still here, but… damn, I can't sleep when he's not around!" Steve bit his lip, understanding the archer's frustrations. After all the upheaval with Thor and Jane, it was kinda nice to talk to someone who, like Steve, knew without a doubt that they'd be with their partner past graduation. No one in the entire school could imagine Clint and Phil ever splitting up.

"I know how you feel. When you say it like that it seems like it's ages away, but last year went so quickly. They'll all probably be graduating before we can blink." He paused, then gave Clint a grin. "Can you imagine this school without Tony Stark?" Clint laughed, shaking his head.

"The staff will probably throw a party the day he graduates. But damn, it'll be quiet around here." Then he frowned, running a hand through his hair. "Anyway, enough of that; it's not gonna be for a long way off. Point is, I'm sorry we haven't been able to hang for a while. Maybe next time I'll bring Tasha, she's been spending way too much time sneaking around on her own lately."

"Sounds great," Steve agreed, smiling. As much as he loved Tony and Bruce, it was nice being able to spend time with his friends, especially the ones in his year. Seeing them in class really wasn't enough a lot of the time.

The two kept up their conversation, mostly revolving around the school's gossip and what was going on with the rest of their friends, even when Clint got back up onto his climbing frame. Steve was used to it; the Hufflepuff wasn't the only one in their group who had difficulty sitting still for long. Eventually, Steve's eye landed on the clock on the wall, and he winced; they'd been there for hours! "I should get back to Ravenclaw," he declared, frowning. "If I stay out much later, Tony and Bruce will worry about me." He didn't usually stay out that long past curfew without someone egging him into it.

Clint dropped to the ground, looking amused. "I swear, sometimes it's like you're dating both of them," he joked, and Steve felt his cheeks burn bright red.

"No!" he blurted quickly, louder than he'd intended to. "No, it's not like that, not with Bruce, it's just me and Tony, he's just a friend." Clint's eyes went wide, and he held up his hands appeasingly.

"Whoa, dude, chill, I was just messing around." A slow smirk crept across his face, and he sat down by Steve's side. "But, uh, sounds to me like the lady doth protest too much." Steve raised an eyebrow at the quote, and it was Clint's turn to blush. "Phil reads out loud to me. He likes Shakespeare. I'm serious, though; something going on between you and Bruce? Or Tony and Bruce? Or you and Tony and Bruce?" Steve worried at his lower lip, stomach churning anxiously. He could trust Clint, he knew, but… he could barely put a name to the feeling himself. All he knew was that sometimes, Bruce left the dorm when he and Tony started fooling around a little too much, and Steve had to stop himself from asking the other boy to stay.

"I… Merlin, I don't know. I never really thought about it too hard, I guess. Probably because I was scared of what I'd figure out," he admitted, leaning into the touch when Clint rested a hand on his shoulder. "I mean, everyone knows that Tony and Bruce like each other." While they might have only been 'friends with benefits', Steve knew that if he hadn't come into the picture, Tony and Bruce would probably be full-on together by now. "But I… wouldn't completely mind kissing Bruce?" he said hesitantly, afraid Tony was going to jump out and yell at him. "I love Tony, don't get me wrong, and I don't think I could live without him." Clint nodded at the seriousness in his tone, his expression earnest and accepting. "But Bruce spends so much time with us, and, uh, we cuddle a lot." He felt himself blushing again, but Clint didn't comment. "And everyone just kinda lumps the three of us in together all the time. Like you said, it's like I'm dating both of them. Except I don't get to kiss and touch Bruce like I do with Tony."

"But you'd like to?" Clint presumed, squeezing his shoulder gently. Steve nodded, slumping so his head rested on Clint's shoulder.

"Does that make me a bad person? I mean, Tony should be enough for me. He_is_ enough for me. But… from the beginning, it's been like Tony and Bruce come as a package deal, and I was totally okay with that. And I've seen the way Tony looks at Bruce when he thinks I'm not looking."

"You're not a bad person," Clint insisted firmly, wrapping an arm around him. "Plenty of people love more than one person. And you have a lot of love to go around, Steve, we all know that." Steve smiled, squeezing Clint's knee in thanks. "But hell, Tony would probably be up for a threesome if you wanted to try and figure things out, and I can't see Bruce saying no. Especially with how he's totally not getting any and it's driving the wolf kinda nuts." Steve snorted; that was true. Now that all of them knew, Bruce had no problem letting them know when their scents and emotions were making him uncomfortable. It was much better since the cure, but the wolf was still there even if Bruce was definitely in charge, and Steve was sure that being able to smell everyone else doing it would make him pretty horny too.

"I, uh, wanted to go all the way with Tony before even thinking about bringing someone else into the equation," he admitted, and he could practically feel Clint's surprise.

"Wait, you mean you haven't done it yet?" he asked. Steve shook his head, sitting up a little. "Damn, I thought you guys started banging ages ago. You spent like half the summer alone at his place!"

"We've done everything but," Steve informed him, blushing brightly at the admission. But he knew Clint wouldn't tell anyone, except perhaps Phil, who would keep Steve's secret. "I think Tony doesn't want to pressure me because I'm younger, but… I do want to go all the way with him. I just don't know how to bring it up. Every time we get close, he'll do something else before I can say that he doesn't need to keep holding off on my account." Clint snorted, giving him an amused look.

"Steve, man, the guy's completely in love with you. Just tell him what you want and he'll jump at the chance to climb you like a tree, it's really not that hard." He snickered at the fiery blush on Steve's face, shoving his shoulder playfully. "And when you've finally done the deed, then you can work up the nerve to ask Tony how he feels about Bruce. But I swear, even if Tony doesn't feel the same way about the guy — which is really, really unlikely, just look at them — he won't be mad at you for it. I don't think he could be mad at you for anything if he tried."

"I suppose," Steve agreed with a sigh, brain already whirring. "So I, uh, guess I should head back." Merlin, how was he going to act natural around Bruce and Tony after the conversation he'd just had? Clint grinned at him, clapping him on the shoulder and getting to his feet.

"Yeah, we both should. Phil's probably done with his study group by now anyway; maybe if I catch him in time I can drag him to bed before some second year's cat dies or something," he mused, making Steve snort.

"Thanks for the talk, Clint," he replied honestly, smiling at the Hufflepuff. "I think I needed someone to just let me talk through things and tell me it's okay." Usually that was Tony's job, but he could hardly tell him about this.

"Any time, man. Though just be aware that if you do end up getting into some kinky threesome shit I demand details so I can live vicariously through you. No way in hell Phil would let anyone else in our bed." Steve laughed, hugging the shorter boy briefly and reaching for his bag.

"No way you'd want anyone else in there," he pointed out with a smirk, rolling his eyes at the sappy expression on his friend's face. The only way Clint and Phil would ever even consider having someone else in with them would be if Tasha suddenly became a boy.

"Nah, you're right," he agreed, nudging the door open. The corridor was empty, as it usually was around that time of night. "But seriously, man, Stark? You need to hit that. Soon. Do it for the good of humanity, Steve!" Steve's cheeks reddened, but he laughed, shoving Clint lightly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get on that. G'night, Clint. Good luck dragging Phil away from crying second years." Clint waved over his shoulder as they split up at the stairs, and Steve turned up to head towards Ravenclaw tower, solving the riddle easily and stepping inside. He was enough of a fixture that no one protested at him entering on his own, and several people even waved at him. Steve waved back, making for the stairs up to the boys' dorms, and knocked on Tony and Bruce's door.

"It's open!" Tony called, making Steve smile as he nudged the door open. Tony and Bruce were sprawled on the floor of the dorm, surrounded by piles of parchment with scrawled notes on them. "Hey there, handsome. Careful where you step; some of these are rune sequences and may or may not explode if you step on them." Steve snorted, raising his eyebrows at Bruce, who nodded in confirmation.

"Tony's bed is clean. Mine was donated to science," he added, gesturing at his own paper-covered bed. Grinning, Steve edged around the room and sat on Tony's bed, rolling his eyes when he saw his own t-shirt bundled half-under Tony's pillow. That hadn't been there when he'd left that morning.

"Any chance I can persuade you both to tidy up and call it a night?" he asked, undoing his Gryffindor tie and hooking it neatly over one of the bedposts next to Tony's Ravenclaw one. He pulled his jumper over his head, folding it and setting it on top of Tony's trunk.

"Hmm, I dunno, if you keep taking your clothes off, I'm sure I could be convinced," Tony drawled, eyes lighting up as he watched Steve reach down to unlace his shoes. Bruce snorted, a small smile on his lips.

"I guess that's my cue to clear off my bed so you two can have yours," he remarked, reaching to start piling up all the papers around them.

"You're welcome to stay in with us if you want," Tony replied with a shrug, but Bruce shook his head.

"And have that poking me in the back all night? I'll pass," he joked, gesturing towards Tony's crotch area. Steve flushed, but Tony merely grinned wider.

"Your loss, sweetcheeks." Steve knew better than to help them tidy up, not wanting to mess up whatever they were researching, but soon they had several neat stacks of parchment on Bruce's desk, weighed down by what looked like pieces of an engine block. "So how's your potions project going?" Tony queried, glancing up at Steve.

"We, uh, didn't get much done, actually. Clint got bored so we decided to hang out instead. It was nice." The blonde smiled as Tony wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning up for a kiss.

"Good. And don't worry about the project, I can help you when you need it." He smirked, deft fingers working at the top two buttons of Steve's shirt, brushing his throat teasingly. "We're not going to bed just yet, are we?"

"Not unless you want to? But I was gonna get a little paperwork done, Pepper keeps telling me to stop stalling on it. Wanna be my pillow while I work?" Steve snorted, hand on Tony's hip.

"How could I say no to that? What about you, Bruce; any plans for the night?" He glanced over at Bruce, who shrugged, scratching at his chin.

"Not really. I'll probably just read for a while and get an early night," he replied, before raising an eyebrow. "Unless you two, uh, wanted me to make myself scarce for a while? I can go hang with Jane." Steve flushed, remembering what he'd talked about with Clint less than an hour beforehand.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. Like Tony said, he has paperwork to do," he pointed out. Bruce shrugged, flopping onto his bed and reaching for a book.

"Fair enough, then. But seriously, if you're going to start getting handsy, at least close the drapes and put up a privacy charm or two," he teased, making Tony smirk.

"Duly noted, honeybear. C'mon, Steve, change into something more comfortable and get ready for bed so you don't have to move once I'm sitting on you." Steve snorted, releasing Tony so he could sort himself out in the bathroom, changing into soft pyjama pants and a t-shirt and joining Tony in bed, the Ravenclaw with a tablet in hand. He manhandled Steve until the blonde was trapped underneath him, Tony tangled around him like an octopus with one arm free to write with.

"Comfy?" the Gryffindor asked with raised eyebrows, amused. Tony looked up, grinning at him.

"Very, thank you. I promise this won't take long, all Pepper said I had to do was sign some stuff." Steve let his fingers card through Tony's hair as the older boy worked, smiling as he felt his boyfriend practically melt against him at the touch. "You want your sketchbook or something?"

"Nah, I'm good," Steve assured, smiling. The way his mind was, he'd probably only end up drawing out his thoughts of him, Tony and Bruce. Even if he drew them in the red sketchbook, he couldn't chance Tony peering over his shoulder while they were so close together. Bolstered by Clint's acceptance, Steve let himself dare to think more on the subject, instead of pushing it away out of guilt and shame. If he was honest, in his imagination it wasn't all that much different to how they were now, except when he and Tony started getting frisky Bruce would stay instead of leaving, and Steve and Tony were free to kiss the werewolf whenever they wanted. He couldn't help but wonder if the others thought the same as Clint; that the three of them were practically dating anyway.

A slow smile came unbidden to his lips as he let himself imagine what it would be like if Bruce _did_ stay when he and Tony started getting intimate. He didn't realise the effect it was having on him until Tony set his tablet aside and looked up at him with a smirk, wiggling his eyebrows. "Guess we should put up those privacy charms, huh?" he murmured with a pointed glance at the bulge in Steve's trousers, sitting up to reach for the curtains around the bed. "Nightnight, Bruce."

"G'night, guys," Bruce called back, apparently unconcerned about what they were about to do in the same room as him. Steve would never admit that the thought of Bruce just across the room turned him on even more.

With the drapes closed, and several privacy charms in place, Tony shifted to rest between Steve's legs, leaning on the blonde's broad chest. "Well, hello there," he drawled, tilting his head up for a kiss. "Someone's pleased to see me."

"I want to have sex," Steve blurted, remembering Clint's word about just asking. Tony's eyes widened a fraction, and Steve gathered his courage, continuing. "I want to have sex with you, Tony. I… I've loved everything we've been doing, but I want _more_. I'm ready. You can stop holding back on me." He let his fingers wander slowly up Tony's spine beneath his t-shirt, smirking at the low moan it drew from the shorter boy.

"Are you sure?" Tony asked, breathless. "I mean, I'm all for it if you are, but I don't want you to rush just because you think I want you to."

"I'm not rushing," Steve insisted, "I want this, Tony." He tugged the genius' shirt up over his head, flipping them over so he could rock down into him. "Does this feel like I'm not ready?" Tony smirked, hand reaching down Steve's boxers.

"No, no, it definitely feels ready to me. You don't want to wait until we've got the dorm to ourselves?" Steve hoped it wasn't too obvious how his arousal pulsed at the reminder that Bruce was just outside the drapes.

"He can't sense anything, right?" he checked, and Tony shook his head. "Then why bother waiting? C'mon, Tony, I want you to fuck me." Tony froze, eyes going wide.

"You want me to top?" he asked, making Steve flush brightly.

"I, uh, figured you'd want to. That's how I always imagined it for our first time. Unless you want me to?" Tony shook his head rapidly, still wide-eyed.

"No, no, I just thought you'd want to be in control, but I am definitely on board with fucking you, _Merlin_, Steve, how did I get so lucky?" Steve smirked, leaning down for a long, slow kiss.

"I love you, Tony. So hurry up and get in me." Tony didn't need any more prompting, almost falling out of bed in his haste to flip them back over so Steve was underneath him, struggling out of his trousers at the same time. Steve laughed softly, before the sound was muffled by Tony's lips, and any higher thought processes were far, far out of Steve's reach. He'd totally have to buy Clint some prank arrows or something, to thank him for giving him the courage to ask. This was going to be _amazing_.


	45. Y6: Need to Know Basis

_**Title:**__ Need to Know Basis_  
_**Summary:**__ Darcy doesn't like not knowing things, especially things that involve her best friend._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2080_  
_**Pairings:**__ Onesided Loki/Thor, Steve/Tony, Clint/Coulson_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

Fourth year wasn't really so bad, so far. Not for Darcy, at least. It was probably the last year she could properly enjoy herself without the threat of exams looming over her; though Sixth year didn't seem to be going too badly for her older friends.

Unfortunately, she couldn't really say the same for her best friend; Fourth year for him was definitely… different. Not in a completely bad way, though. He was actually hanging out with her other friends — and even _Thor_ — since they'd spent the whole summer bonding or whatever. She couldn't really see it; sure, he hung out with them, and didn't act like Thor was invisible, but Darcy could hardly say they spoke much or anything. Small steps, she supposed.

Watching, she smiled as Tony playfully ruffled Loki's hair, making the Slytherin scowl and duck away, retreating to Sif's side. The Ravenclaw boy seemed to have taken to Loki the most, outside of the group of Gryffindors who had grown up with him, and it made Darcy happy to see her best friend getting on okay with her other friends. It was good for Loki, to hang out with people that weren't her or Sif. Maybe when he got more comfortable with their group, he'd actually let down his guard a little more and smile or something.

"Sit down and put the movie on, Stark!" Clint called with a roll of his eyes, head resting on Phil's stomach as they sprawled out on the bed-sofa-thing the room had provided for movie night. Tony snorted, but obligingly crawled over to settle between Steve and Bruce, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend and flinging his legs over Bruce's lap. Loki stood by the edge of the bed, looking somewhat lost, and Darcy reached over to grab his hand and yank him onto it, giggling at the disgruntled look he gave her.

"Come on, make yourself comfy before all the good spots are taken," she urged, glancing back over at the rest of her friends. Most of the guys already had people leaning on them — though Thor and Jane sat at opposite sides of the room made her do a double-take — but Bucky was sat leaning against the wall, and offered an arm to her when he saw her looking. She grinned, shuffling over to slide under his arm and make herself comfortable, bringing Loki with her and half-shoving the Slytherin boy towards Fandral, who merely shifted to accommodate Loki leaning against him. A startled look on his face, Darcy silently cheered when Loki stayed in place, and finally turned to watch the movie. Missing the glance Thor sent in the dark-haired boy's direction, Darcy let her feet rest against Loki's thigh, a warm feeling in her chest at having all her friends finally together. If only Jane and Thor would stop being so awkward with each other, things would be pretty perfect.

By the end of the film, most of them had moved, and several had even fallen asleep. "It's the weekend, I might as well stay here," Tony murmured, looking quite comfortably squashed between Bruce and Steve, both of whom were sleeping. Pepper was curled with her head in Rhodey's lap, completely dead to the world, and the Hufflepuff gently shifted her closer to the trio of boys, smiling when she snuggled up against Bruce's back in her sleep.

"I'm heading back; you guys coming with me?" Bucky asked, gently nudging Darcy to get her to sit up. She did so with a yawn, stretching out her arms.

"Yes, just give us a minute," Sif replied, watching with amusement as the boys tried to untangle themselves with dignity. Loki shuffled aside, looking uncomfortable once more.

"I should get going," he said quietly, and Darcy made to get off the bed and walk round, hugging him tightly.

"Sure, why don't you walk back with Tasha?" she suggested, kissing his cheek. "G'night."

"Goodnight, little serpent," Sif added, moving to hug Loki quickly. Fandral clapped him on the shoulder, smiling, and when Thor finally clambered off the bed, he stood in front of Loki and bit his lip, shifting awkwardly.

"Goodnight, Loki. Sleep well," he said quietly, moving as if to hug him before thinking better of it, arms falling limply to his sides.

"Goodnight, Thor." Loki turned away, glancing towards Tasha, who was saying goodnight to Clint and Phil.

"Jane, why don't you walk back up with us? Since those two are being lazy buggers," Peggy suggested, looking over at the Ravenclaw girl, who paused.

"No, it's fine. I can head up on my own," she insisted, eyes flicking over to Thor — and to Darcy's surprise, over to Loki, glaring briefly before looking away. "I'll see you all in the morning." She left before any of them could argue otherwise, and Peggy sighed, shaking her head.

"Fair enough. Come on then, you lot. Before Hogan starts his rounds and ends up finding us without Tony around to pay him off," she remarked, making Rhodey snort. Darcy joined her fellow Hufflepuffs to head down to the common room, her eyes still on Loki as the Slytherin left with Tasha. Glancing back at Thor, she frowned at the almost wistful look on his face before Sif looped her arm through his, tugging him towards the door.

"C'mon, Darce, I wanna get to bed," Clint called, making her realise the rest of her housemates were halfway down the corridor already. She jogged to catch up with them, smiling apologetically.

"Sorry, guys. Guess I'm more tired than I thought." Clint shrugged and smiled, his hand twined with Phil's as they walked, and Darcy made a mental note to ask Loki what was up. He'd been avoiding talking to her about important things since school had restarted; there was no escaping now.

.-.-.

She didn't get the chance to talk to Loki until after classes the next day, looping her arm through his as they walked out of Charms and directing him down the corridor away from the rest of their classmates, who were all heading back to their houses to put their books away before dinner. He merely sighed, rolling his eyes. "Where are we going?" he asked in resignation, making her grin.

"Somewhere we can talk. You've been changing the subject for far too long, mister, and I want to know why Jane glares at you whenever you hang out with our group." His step faltered, and her grin widened in triumph. Tugging him into an empty classroom, she locked the door behind them both, turning to him. "Come on, spill. I can't help if I don't know what's going on."

"I don't think this is something you can help with, I'm afraid," he replied, perching on the edge of the teacher's desk. "I wasn't entirely honest with you about everything that happened over the summer." Darcy raised an eyebrow, leaning against the desk opposite. "Thor and I were getting along so well, but… he pushed too far. It was late at night, and I was frustrated from having played quidditch with him for most of the day. I couldn't help myself." Darcy's eyes widened, her jaw dropping.

"Oh, tell me you didn't…" she breathed, drawing a wry smile to his lips.

"I can't," he replied bluntly. "I kissed him. I shouldn't have done it, I know that, but… Darcy, he didn't push me away." He sounded amazed even now, and Darcy's breath caught in her throat.

"What, he kissed you back?" Loki nodded, eyes glazing over a little as he remembered.

"Not for long, mind. But even after, when I started to panic, he assured me he didn't hate me and ended up holding me until I calmed down. When I woke up, he was still there, but I wasn't much in the mood to get rejected so I told him to leave," he admitted honestly.

"Is that why he and Jane split? Because you and him are a thing now?" she asked, watching Loki blush in response, shaking his head.

"Thor and I aren't any sort of 'thing'," he assured her, a bitter tinge to his voice. "But I can only imagine my slip is the reason he and Jane are no longer together. No doubt he insisted on being honest with her, and she reacted badly. It can't have endeared him to me, either; I'm now the reason the love of his young life broke up with him."

"Hey, you don't know that," Darcy insisted supportively. "Yeah, it might be why Jane split with him." Because as much as the pair claimed it was mutual, Jane was clearly the instigator of the break-up. "But that doesn't mean he hates you for it or anything. Have you spoken to him?" Regardless of whether he had or not, Darcy made a mental note to speak to Thor herself and figure out what was really going on. She couldn't ask Jane; if the older girl found out Darcy might in any way be trying to set Thor up with Loki, their friendship wouldn't do well for it. The way Jane had spoken when she'd told Darcy about the break-up implied that there was the possibility of them getting back together again.

"I have, once, shortly after he and Jane announced that they were no longer a pair," Loki admitted. "But he merely told me that he needed time to sort his head out, and he could not do anything with anyone until he has organised his thoughts and feelings. I understand such things are difficult for him," he added dryly, and Darcy couldn't help but giggle. "But nevertheless, he doesn't seem to be horrified with me, which is more than I could hope for." Darcy smiled, reaching over to pat his knee.

"Hey, you never know; maybe if you keep hanging out with us he'll see you as boyfriend material instead of little brother material. If he's sorting out his thoughts and feelings… that could be his feelings about you, right?" Loki's jaw clenched, and he flinched back out of Darcy's reach, making her frown; she'd gone too far.

"I must admit, I'm surprised. I expected you to be taking Lady Jane's side in all of this, with her being your best friend. From what I comprehend of friendship rules, you should be refusing to talk to me out of principle," he pointed out sardonically. Darcy snorted, giving him an amused look.

"Dude, you're way more my best friend than Jane is, I thought you knew that," she informed him with a fond shake of her head. "And I'm not taking sides. I'm just offering my help and support, and pointing out when you're being a moron. Which is now, by the way." She snorted at his offended look, giving the boy a grin. "Seriously, man, don't assume you've lost before you've even started the race. All we know is that Thor needs a little space; he just broke up with a girl he thought he loved, that's totally understandable. But no one said there was no chance of him liking you back. Keep your hopes up, hmm?"

He smiled weakly back at her, looking hopeful. "You really think that might be possible?" he asked, sounding like he hardly dared believe it. Darcy nodded, remembering the look on Thor's face when Loki had left the movie night without hugging him goodbye. It was _definitely_ possible.

She postponed her mental determination to talk to Thor, thinking it might be better to just watch and wait and see what came of things. And maybe talk to Sif; the Gryffindor girl knew Thor's mind better than Thor himself did. "I definitely think so. So don't give up yet, yeah?" Darcy glanced at her watch, then winced. "Now come on, before we're late for dinner and all the good stuff is gone." Grabbing Loki by the hand, she dragged him from the classroom and in the direction of the main staircase. They passed several people on the way, most of whom merely glanced at their joined hands and moved aside, smirking, but Darcy didn't let it bother her. There had been rumours about her and Loki being together since their second year; there were worse people she could have her name connected to. Besides, when most of her friends were two years above, and prefects at that, people rarely messed with her. Phil's glare was good for something, after all.


	46. Y6: Puppy Love

_**Title:**__ Puppy Love_  
_**Summary:**__ The plan was, Bruce wouldn't find out until everyone was ready. Unfortunately, Tony Stark can't stick to plans._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2144_  
_**Pairings: **Steve/Tony_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

The cauldron in front of him bubbled steadily as he stirred, changing from a pale purple to a vibrant sky blue. Bruce grinned triumphantly, tongue sticking between his teeth as he worked. He'd been working on that particular potion for weeks now, and he was _so_ close to a solution. It was a sleeping potion — or would be, when he perfected it — that would give natural sleep with pleasant dreams instead of magical sleep with no dreams, and was completely non-addictive. He knew better than anyone how easy it was to develop insomnia due to nightmares, and waking from a potion-induced sleep often felt like no sleep at all. The patent would go to Stark Industries, of course — Bruce was technically employed now — and hopefully he'd be able to get it out to hospitals by the new year. It would have to be regulated carefully, as despite being non-addictive he didn't intend for it to be a nightly potion, but he had high hopes for it.

It was nice, being best friends with Tony Stark; from a business standpoint, at least. Anything he created went to SI after the Potions Guild had tested and approved it, which meant the name Bruce Banner wasn't attached to anything. It was better that way; he just wanted to be able to work quietly and help people. No one asked for specific names when a potion came out of SI, so no one knew nor cared that a teenager that wasn't Tony Stark had created four of the potions that were being mass-produced today. Everybody won.

His concentration was interrupted by the loud bleeping of his alarm, and he groaned, setting a stasis charm over the cauldron and glancing at his watch. Seven thirty; he needed to get his Transfiguration essay done before bed, and he'd promised he wouldn't spend the whole night in the lab. Biting his lip, Bruce turned back to the potion; he was a couple of steps away from being able to let it brew overnight, and it wouldn't hurt to get it there. Stasis didn't damage most potions, but he didn't want to take the risk.

When the blue potion was at a point where he could leave it, Bruce tidied his things away and went to his school bag, rifling through it for his half-written essay and a quill. He cursed under his breath; his textbook was still up in the dorm. Of course, Tony had borrowed it earlier, and clearly hadn't put it back in his bag. Just perfect. He'd been planning on giving Steve and Tony a little alone time for once; ever since they'd finally done the deed — with him in the room, no less, the perverts — they had been even more horny than ever, and it was driving him crazy. Them smelling like post-sex pheromones was much less grating on him than smelling like lust. Shaking his head, he shouldered his bag and left the lab, locking up behind himself. Hopefully he wouldn't interrupt them in the middle of anything — not that he hadn't seen it all before — and could take his book down to the common room to study. Jane could probably do with the company, anyway. She seemed to be getting over Thor, in her own way, but Bruce still couldn't help but worry. She was pack, they both were, and having pack upset made him uneasy.

Wandering into the Ravenclaw common room, he gave a cursory glance around and didn't find Jane, presuming she was in her dorm. Heading for his own, he tried to sniff out ahead of time if he was interrupting anything; it smelled like sex, but it was a post-sex smell, and Bruce was relieved. Walking in on Steve and Tony naked and cuddling wouldn't bother any of them. He then frowned, sniffing once more; was that… fur?

Knocking out of politeness, he pushed the door open, greeting dying on his lips as he spotted the two canines curled up around each other on Tony's bed. One was a German Shepherd, and the other a coyote, the larger dog's body curving protectively around the coyote, their paws overlapped and noses touching. They both looked up when Bruce entered, and it was difficult to tell which of the three was more alarmed. Bruce's senses told him that the pair were definitely Steve and Tony, and his eyes went wide in alarm; how in Merlin's name had they ended up as animals? "Oh my God, guys, what happened? Are you okay? Tony, what did you do?" he exclaimed, hurrying to the bed to check the pair over. They didn't look hurt or anything, but Bruce could never be too sure.

The Tony-coyote yipped, rising clumsily as the mattress sank under his paws, looking at Bruce with wide eyes. "Are you hurt? What spell did you use? Or did someone do this to you? Oh, God, I should go get Healer McCoy." The Steve-dog made an alarmed sort-of rumbling sound, nudging the Tony-coyote with his nose. The next thing Bruce knew, Steve and Tony were back to their human selves, sprawled on the bed in boxers and t-shirts.

"Whoa, Bruce, honeybunch, chill," Tony soothed hurriedly, bounding off the bed to wrap an arm around Bruce's shoulders. "No need to call McCoy, we're both totally fine." Bruce stared wide-eyed at him, stunned.

"You… that was voluntary? And reversible without a wand?" he asked, perplexed, panic still racing through him. The wolf raged in his mind, wanting to fix whatever was wrong with his pack. Steve and Tony shared a somewhat sheepish glance, and the blonde rubbed the back of his neck.

"We, uh, didn't mean for you to find out this way," he admitted hesitantly. "We didn't want you to know until everyone could do it. It was Clint's idea, in the beginning."

"Steve, I'll be honest, I still have no idea what the hell you're talking about," Bruce cut in bluntly, making Tony snort.

"We're animagi," the genius replied bluntly. "Clint thought it would be good for you to have some company on the full moon, and, well, we started way before you were cured, so human company was definitely out. He suggested we all become animagi so we could join you out in the forest, keep you in check. Then I found a cure, but we figured as long as you're still transforming, company could be a good idea, and better to be safe than sorry. Besides, being an animagi is way cool."

"Clint and Phil have it down, and Bucky's almost there, and I think Peggy's transformed a couple times," Steve added, getting up to rest a hand on Bruce's arm. "Everyone's getting along really quickly, but… we wanted to surprise you with it when we were all ready."

"You… you learned how to be animagi? All of you? For me?" Bruce asked, stunned, and he was embarrassed to find tears welling in his eyes.

"Of course we did, sweetcheeks. At the time I was way off a cure, and none of us liked the thought of you tearing yourself up in that shack every month," Tony pointed out, leaning in to press a kiss to Bruce's temple.

"There's not much we wouldn't do for you, Bruce," Steve added, the honesty in his voice almost bringing Bruce to his knees.

"I… I can't believe it. The animagus transformation is supposed to be really difficult magic!" Tony grinned roguishly at him, winking.

"Well, Steve here was the first to get it right, so it can't be that difficult," he joked.

"Hey!" Steve exclaimed in mock offence, aiming an elbow at his boyfriend's ribs that Tony easily dodged.

"I'm just kidding, babe. But seriously, Bruce, it was no trouble at all when we're all doing it for you. We're your pack, it's kinda in the job description." Bruce could hardly breathe through the emotions choking him, and allowed Tony and Steve to manhandle him down onto the bed, Steve tugging his shoes off and Tony undoing his tie.

"Breathe, Bruce. We got you," Steve murmured soothingly, one large hand rubbing circles on the werewolf's back.

"I never— I never thought I'd have friends, let alone so many, and all willing to perform dangerous and illegal magic just to give me a little comfort," Bruce whispered into Tony's shoulder, cheeks red in embarrassment as he kept crying. Tony merely hugged him tighter, kissing his hair, and Bruce felt Steve's arm squeeze him around the waist.

"We all love you, honeybear, and that means danger and legality be damned. Besides, it won't be illegal for long; we'll totally register once we graduate," Tony promised, humour in his tone. "I'm sorry we ruined the surprise, though."

"No, don't be," Bruce insisted hurriedly. "I'm actually kinda glad you did. Breaking down like this in front of everyone would have been embarrassing." Tony and Steve had seen him cry too many times for him to be truly bothered by it. The rest of the group, on the other hand…

"Still, I wish we'd been able to ease you into it instead of transforming without warning like that." Tony eased Bruce up so they were face-to-face, lifting a hand to wipe away his friend's tears. "You okay?" Bruce took a deep breath, steadying himself, and nodded.

"Yeah. Think so. Just… easily emotional." The moon was in two days, and while the cure meant he was still in control of himself, he was still prone to minor mood swings. Steve chuckled, smiling at him.

"You cry as much as you want," he urged, making Bruce smile, relaxing into both of them.

"What were you doing, anyway? Sleeping as animals?" the werewolf queried, perplexed. "Unless… you didn't have sex in animal form, did you?" His voice was wary, but Steve and Tony immediately went wide-eyed, shaking their heads quickly.

"No, no, nothing like that," Tony assured hastily. "Though we should totally try that, Steve; we're biologically compatible." Steve huffed, smacking Tony on the shoulder where he could reach him.

"We are not having sex in animal form, you pervert," he scolded quickly, before turning back to Bruce and ignoring his boyfriend's mumbled protests. "We were just cuddling. It's… different, in animal form. Everything is simpler, it's really relaxing. And Tony still needs to get used to holding his form while he's sleeping," he added. "Both of us thought you'd be in the lab until curfew."

"Forgot my transfiguration textbook," Bruce replied by way of explanation. Tony snorted, holding him tighter.

"You still haven't done that essay? Bruce, you rebel; it's due tomorrow. Which sucks for you, because I'm totally comfortable here and you're not allowed to move," he declared stubbornly. Bruce rolled his eyes, shoving halfheartedly at Tony's shoulder.

"Come on, Tony; I need to get that essay done or Selvig will kill me. If you really want me to cuddle with you I'll come back to bed after I'm finished, but don't you think you and Steve should have a little time to yourselves?" He couldn't help but notice when Steve flushed, and smelled his arousal increase as Tony bundled all three of them closer together. Well, he _was_ a teenage boy.

"Steve and I get time to ourselves all the time, but we can never have too much time with you. Right, gorgeous?"

"Very true," Steve confirmed, giving Bruce a smile as he tightened an arm around him. "You have a study period before Transfiguration, you can do the essay then. Just stay with us, please?" Bruce huffed; he could never resist Steve's pleading eyes.

"Fine," he relented, and Tony let out a quiet whoop. Bruce managed to wriggle out of his trousers, tossing them vaguely in the direction of his own bed, and unbuttoned his shirt to shrug it off, leaving him in just his boxers. He debated hunting for a t-shirt somewhere, but then Tony and Steve practically crushed him between them, kissing briefly over his shoulder.

"Go to sleep, honeybunch. Maybe later Steve will let you pet him," Tony muttered, face buried half in the pillow and half in Steve's shoulder, and Bruce blushed brightly until he realised that of course, Tony meant Steve's animal form. "He has a sweet spot behind his left ear." Bruce cracked an eye open to look at Steve, who was smiling through his blush, holding both of them close.

"You can do whatever you want, Bruce; just let us go back to sleep now," he promised, and Bruce snorted.

"Yes, sir." He settled down into the tangle of limbs, loving the familiar warmth and comfort it gave him, and closed his eyes as he tried to figure out what animals the rest of his friends turned into. Merlin, he couldn't wait to see it.


	47. Y6: New Year's Resolutions

_**Title:**__ New Year's Resolutions_  
_**Summary:**__ Jane appreciated Thor taking time to get over her before pursuing Loki, but really, this was just getting ridiculous._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 1666_  
_**Pairings:**__ Thor/Loki_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

Jane stuffed her hands into the pockets of her robes, shivering at the winter chill that lingered around the castle despite magical fires and heating charms. Christmas was well and truly over, though classes hadn't yet begun, and with even less students in the castle than usual it seemed colder and emptier than ever.

She didn't usually stay at school over Christmas. Only once or twice in the past; usually she went back and had Christmas with her parents. But her dad was at some astronomy conference over the holiday, and her mother was staying with Jane's great-grandmother, who wasn't well and didn't need teenagers underfoot apparently. Jane didn't mind, really; she just wished Thor had gone home for the holidays. The only other people in their group who had stayed were those who almost never went home for any reason; Bruce, Tony, Peggy and Natasha. Even Clint, who was usually there to keep them company, had gone home with Phil to stay with his family for Christmas. Jane hadn't expected for Thor and Loki to stay — their parents usually roped them into all sorts of pureblood dinner parties and Yule festivities — but there they had been when she'd wandered down to the Ravenclaw common room the first morning of Christmas break. Tony had let them in, pointing out that with hardly any other Ravenclaws staying, they might as well use the common room for something.

Under the circumstances, Jane thought she was dealing quite well. She could have gotten angry, begun to hate the person who had stolen her boyfriend from her — even if he didn't seem to know it yet. She could have hidden away from all of her friends and buried herself in books like she usually did when she was upset. She was quite proud of herself for not withdrawing, for only glaring at Loki occasionally when he hung out with their group. The Slytherin fit in irritatingly well, a good match to Tony's brand of dry humour and Sif's quick wit. Everyone else seemed to like him just fine. Of course, none of them knew the true circumstances between her and Thor's break-up. Except perhaps Darcy, who often gave her sympathetic looks when she thought Jane wasn't watching. Loki had no doubt told her everything.

Despite all this, despite the fragile feeling starting to arise that she thought meant she was actually beginning to get over things, she found herself seeking out her boyfriend's adoptive brother in the library a few days before the rest of the school would return. She'd yet to say more than five words at a time to Loki, but he didn't seem to expect anything of her. It confused her. He didn't taunt, didn't brag about having Thor's love. Didn't try and ply her with false platitudes that would probably hurt more than bragging. He didn't even actively avoid her, though she wouldn't have blamed him if he had. He was unfailingly polite, if a little shy, and irritatingly gave her no valid reason to hate him.

She found him in the little corner he and Darcy usually kept for themselves, alone with a book on his lap and his feet tucked up underneath him, unlaced boots beside his chair. He looked comfortable, and she almost turned around to avoid disturbing him, but took a deep breath and continued forward; it was now or never. He looked up when she came too close to pretend not to notice, raising one dark eyebrow in her direction. "Can I help you, Jane?" he asked, and she bit her lip.

"Can we talk? I promise I won't, like, yell at you for stealing my boyfriend or anything." Not that part of her didn't want to, but she'd never been that kind of girl. Loki winced at her words, straightening up in his chair and setting his book aside.

"I haven't stolen anything from you, I assure you," he replied curtly, looking like he'd rather be doing anything than having that particular conversation. Jane didn't blame him, really.

"That's kinda what I wanted to talk about, actually," she confessed, watching his expression become confused. "It's been like, months since Thor and I broke up. I'd expected the two of you to be a thing by now, even if you were only keeping it to our little friend group." Sure, she'd expected a grace period while Thor got over her and realised he was actually completely in love with the Slytherin, but her expectation was for that to have ended a while ago. There was no question as to whether Loki returned Thor's feelings — he was the one who had started this in the first place — and if Jane knew anything, it was that Thor was not a patient man. So why had nothing happened?

Loki looked startled, both eyebrows rising higher, even as a flick of his wand rose a privacy ward around their little corner. Jane was impressed at the complexity of the ward; it was sixth year stuff, at least. "I can promise you," he bit out, a frown at his lips. "Thor and I will never be a 'thing', as you call it. As much as it pains me, he doesn't feel that way about me." Jane couldn't help but snort, lips quirking in amusement.

"Well that's a lie," she muttered dryly, giving him a pointed look when his brow furrowed in confusion. How could he not know? "Seriously?" she asked, skeptical. "Thor kisses you once, spends the whole night sleeping with you in his arms, then the next thing you know he's breaking up with his _girlfriend_ and you still think he doesn't feel that way about you?"

"He only slept with me because I had a panic attack," Loki defended immediately, making her roll her eyes.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that." She sighed, twirling a stray lock of hair around her finger. "Merlin, I can't believe I'm about to say this, but… damn, Loki, the way he talked about you when we came back after the summer. I didn't break up with him because of the kiss; that wasn't really his fault, it was excusable. But the fact that he couldn't even look me in the eye and tell me he'd push you away if it happened again, or that he'd pick me over you if it came down to it… it told me everything I needed to know. I figured it would be best to end things there, before it got to the point where he was sneaking around behind my back and things got messy."

She felt equal parts guilty and smug for causing the lost, wide-eyed expression on Loki's face — smug because she knew Thor better than he did, but guilty because he probably thought she was setting him up for more heartbreak. "I— I don't understand," he stuttered, curling up a little tighter in his chair, and Jane's heart clenched slightly. She forgot how young he was, sometimes.

"I don't particularly like you for taking my boyfriend away," she told him bluntly, and he flinched. "But I think, in a few months, I could learn to. And I don't blame you for anything; something tells me Thor would have figured things out eventually with or without your help." Loki was gaping by now, and Jane perched on the desk opposite him. "He's in love with you. Like, ridiculously so. I mean, sure, he's really, really confused about it right now because of the whole adoptive brother thing, but… I could tell it from the look on his face when he talked about you. I don't know why he's holding off so long; it seriously can't be taking him this long to get his head straight."

"You… why are you telling me this?" Loki asked, his tone wary and his eyes guarded. "Surely you aren't encouraging me." Jane shrugged, hands in her pockets once more.

"I kind-of am, actually," she confessed nonchalantly. "I still love Thor, and I want him to be happy. He's not been himself since we broke up, and it worries me. If I can't make him happy anymore, well… I think you've got a pretty good shot." Amazingly, she actually felt a bit of weight lift off her shoulders at the words. She was being the bigger person; she could do this and not be bitter. She could see Thor happy with someone else and not hate him for it.

"He was happy with you. So, so happy," Loki assured her, sounding almost wistful. Jane smiled sadly, her eyes knowing as they met his.

"Yeah, but… not as happy as he was whenever you looked at him. Just think about it, Loki. Don't let him hide from you until this all blows over; Gryffindors shouldn't run from things." With that, she turned away and dismantled the Slytherin's privacy ward, walking away and leaving him to his thoughts. Glancing quickly over her shoulder, a faint smile crossed her lips at the barest hint of hope in his perplexed expression; hopefully that would be enough to push Loki into actually confronting Thor, instead of being too wary of upsetting him and ruining his chances.

In theory, she thought she could deal with the inevitability of Thor and Loki being a couple. She just hoped she could deal with it in practice. Still, she mused to herself as she set off towards Ravenclaw, hoping Bruce and Tony weren't too engrossed in whatever crazy scheme they had going on to hang out with her. She really needed something to take her mind off the fact that soon, her ex-boyfriend would probably no longer be single. Unless, of course, he considered being obstinate. Then she might have to take more drastic measures.

Snorting, Jane shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. What kind of messed-up universe did she live in that she was actually working to set her ex up with his adoptive younger brother?


	48. Y6: One More For Luck

_**Title:**__ One More For Luck_  
_**Summary:**__ After his talk with Clint, Steve has been allowing his mind to wander a little more. It was only a matter of time before Tony found out._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 4623_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony, Steve/Bruce/Tony_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

If there was one person Tony was aware of more than he was aware of himself, it was Steve. Well, Bruce and Steve, but mostly Steve. And he couldn't help but be very aware that Steve had been acting weird for a while. Things had started to get weird ever since they had first had sex; Steve hadn't been distant, far from it, but he'd just seemed more… contemplative than usual. Tony didn't usually doubt his skills in, well, _anything_, but… when someone starts acting strange after sleeping with you, there's usually only one answer.

Tony didn't think he was bad at sex. Bruce had never told him he was bad at sex. Steve had never had any complaints with anything they'd done before, and still had nothing but praise for Tony's skills in bed. But he could be lying, right? Tony couldn't think of any other possibilities that coincided with the time Steve had started acting weird from.

"Bruce, am I bad at sex?" Bruce looked up from his cauldron, eyebrows raised.

"Excuse me?" he asked, perplexed. Tony hopped up onto the workbench, running a hand through his hair and probably smearing engine grease through it.

"Steve's been acting weird ever since we started sleeping together. He was fine before, and now he's all thoughtful and weird. What if I'm not, y'know, satisfying him?" he asked plainly, a frown on his lips. Bruce's brow furrowed, and he put his potion in stasis.

"Tony, being blunt; if sex with you is anything like it was when we were together, there is no way Steve could be disappointed or unsatisfied." Tony couldn't help but preen at his words, and Bruce rolled his eyes. "Oh, stop it. All I'm saying is, maybe it's got nothing to do with you; maybe he's just got something on his mind. Have you tried asking him?"

"Uh, no," Tony admitted sheepishly, making Bruce snort.

"Try that, then. You know what they say about assuming," he pointed out, and it was Tony's turn to roll his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, makes an ass out of you and me, I know. Can't you help me out, though? With your magical werewolf powers of deduction?" he asked hopefully, turning a pleading gaze on his friend.

"No, Tony; my senses are not a substitute for actually _asking_ people about their feelings." Tony's gaze didn't falter, and Bruce huffed in irritation. "There's nothing off about his scent that I've noticed, anyway," he relented. "You're both horny as hell all the time. He's been a little anxious recently, but nothing too out of the ordinary. Just go talk to him, Tony; he's your boyfriend, you're supposed to be able to talk about things."

"You're right, of course, you're right. Anxious?" Tony checked, frowning. What could Steve have to be anxious about? "Okay, I'm gonna go find Steve. I'll see you back at the dorm, hmm?" Hopping off the desk, he darted over to give Bruce a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving the lab. "JARVIS, where is he?" he asked, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"Steve is in the astronomy tower, sir." A faint smile came to Tony's face; he was probably drawing, then. Steve was usually in a good mood when he was drawing. Tony made for the nearest shortcut, jogging up the stairs and darting through corridors to get to the tallest tower in the castle. Not wanting to disturb his boyfriend if he was in the middle of drawing something important, Tony kept his steps as light as possible on his way up, smiling fondly when he saw Steve sat in the centre of the room, bathed in the orange glow of the sunset as he worked. God, he was beautiful; how the hell did Tony get so lucky with him? Inching forward, he paused when he saw the red leather edging the sketchbook in the blonde's lap. He really shouldn't look. He knew Steve wouldn't want him to look. The only time he got to see red sketchbook drawings was when they were torn out and shown to him, but they were always his favourite. Oh, fuck it, he was going to look. Surely it couldn't hurt.

Stepping closer, Steve still oblivious, Tony peered over the blonde's shoulders, unable to stifle the gasp when he saw the picture on the page. It was a charcoal drawing of a bed definitely in the Ravenclaw dorm, with him and Steve kissing passionately on it. However, they weren't alone; Bruce was with them, kissing his way down Tony's back with his hand gripping Steve's thigh, his other one out of sight somewhere by Tony's waist, the implication obvious. All three of them seemed to be enjoying themselves in the drawing, and Tony felt a hot spark of arousal travel down his spine.

Steve turned at his gasp, eyes going wide in horror when he saw that Tony had seen his sketchbook. "Tony!" he exclaimed, voice slightly strangled. "You… I didn't hear you come in."

"You seemed pretty preoccupied," Tony replied, surprised at how husky his voice came out. Damn. "So, uh, care to explain about the drawing? Because I'm not gonna lie, I was not expecting to see that." Steve reddened, shutting the book and ducking his head.

"God, Tony, I'm sorry," he muttered, biting his lip. "I didn't— I never— it's not what it looks like." Tony frowned at Steve's panic, crouching to wrap an arm around him, kissing his neck.

"Hey, hey, easy. I don't judge, remember? Just be honest with me. Bruce?" Steve sighed, reluctantly leaning into the embrace.

"I've been trying to think things through," he admitted, and Tony hated the stab of insecurity in his stomach at the blonde's words. The fact that it was a drawing of the three of them instead of just Steve and Bruce proved that Steve still loved him, right? "When I was doing the potions project with Clint, he made a crack about how it was like I was dating both of you, and, well… I'd been thinking about it, a little. Clint helped me try and get things straight in my head, and told me it was okay to, uh, like more than one person at a time." Tony rubbed his back gently, listening while the blonde talked. It wasn't often that Steve could totally shock him, but this was definitely one of those times.

"That was months ago, before Christmas. You never let on, not even a little bit," he pointed out, and Steve shrugged.

"I didn't know how you'd take it. I mean, I don't want Bruce without you. I just… sometimes when we're together, and Bruce goes to leave to give us privacy, I think about what it would be like if he stayed instead. And when all three of us are together, it's just so comfortable. It feels right, y'know? But it doesn't mean I love you any less than I always have, and if you aren't interested then that's totally fine and I'm sure it'll pass and I promise I won't do anything about it and-mmph!" He was cut off by Tony's lips covering his, and it took a few moments before the Ravenclaw could get him to relax into it properly. When he pulled away, Tony smiled, stroking Steve's jaw.

"I don't blame you for being attracted to Bruce," he assured softly. "Hell, it's hard not to be, he's beautiful. But… I haven't really thought about anything like that since I got together with you. Figured I shouldn't push my luck by asking for more, y'know? Still don't know why you're with me to begin with." Steve frowned, a scolding look on his face.

"Don't be ridiculous, Tony; I'm with you because I love you. But does that mean you're… not into it?" he asked hesitantly. Tony paused before answering, trying to imagine Steve's drawing becoming reality. He already knew how good in bed Bruce was; having him and Steve together might be more hotness than his mind could handle.

"I never said that," he replied, surprising the blonde. "I'm not against it, but can I have a little time to think about things before we talk to Bruce about it? Just to get my head around things. This is all a little sudden." He'd thought he'd have to give up any hope of sleeping with Bruce again when he got together with Steve. This was a huge shift to his worldview.

"Of course, of course," Steve agreed instantly, a hesitantly hopeful look on his face. "You're not just saying that to make me happy, are you?"

"Steve, I wouldn't mess you or Bruce around like that," Tony pointed out bluntly. "I'm saying that because the thought of you and Bruce making out while I watch is really, really hot." Steve snorted, and Tony pulled him into another kiss. "Why don't we go back to the dorm, hmm? I'll let you dirty-talk me into an imaginary threesome. By the looks of that drawing, you've definitely got some fantasies stored up in there," he murmured, tapping Steve's temple. The blonde's eyes darkened with lust, and he nodded, hastily scrambling to pack away his art supplies. "And then you're going to show me every other sexy drawing you have in that sketchbook of yours. _Damn_, Rogers, you've been holding out on me!" Steve chuckled, hand in Tony's as they made for the stairs of the tower, a spring in his step. Tony tried not to rush too much, but gave up all attempt at calm when they got to the dormitory stairs, sprinting up to the room and sighing in relief when it was empty. Trying to explain their raging lust to Bruce without giving anything away would have been awkward. Tony didn't waste any time in pulling Steve towards the bed, tugging his shirt and jumper over his head in one swift move. "Sex, then we start planning the best way to get Bruce in our bed without freaking him out. Deal?" Steve growled faintly, hands working at Tony's belt buckle.

"Merlin, I love you," he breathed, making Tony grin.

"Love you, too, gorgeous. And I believe you promised me dirty-talk, so get to it." One of his favourite things about Steve was the filthy, filthy mouth he had in bed. Steve smirked wolfishly, pushing him down onto the bed and ripping his shirt open, buttons flying everywhere.

"I bet Bruce is rough in bed," he breathed in the dark-haired boy's ear, voice low and husky. "Isn't he?"

"Oh, yeah," Tony agreed, head thrown back as Steve nipped at his neck and throat. "God, it's so hot, he used to pin me with one arm without even trying and fuck me so hard I saw stars. Bet he'd have a challenge with you, though." As Steve spoke, telling him all the things they could do with Bruce when they had him, Tony became a puddle of pleasure-filled goo at the mercy of his boyfriend's hands and cock. He didn't last long, neither of them did, and when they were sated and slumped together in a sweaty mess, Tony let his fingers sink into Steve's hair, a long breath escaping him. "Damn, Bruce was right." Steve raised an eyebrow, and Tony smirked. "Whatever it was bothering you, it sure as hell wasn't the sex. That was amazing." After a long, incredulous stare, Steve snorted.

"You thought I wasn't happy with the sex? You are such an idiot." He turned his head to catch Tony's lips, humming into the kiss. "Which is why I honestly won't mind if you don't want to bring Bruce into what we have." Tony raised an eyebrow.

"After all those things you just promised to do to me with him? You tease," he accused, eyes narrowed. Steve laughed, burying his face in Tony's neck, a grin on his face.

"You are far too good for me, Tony Stark." Tony rolled his eyes, hugging him closer.

"Steve, you are literally the human embodiment of physical perfection. Rethink that statement just a second." Steve frowned, shaking his head a fraction.

"I mean it, Tony. Thank you for not being angry at me for this," he murmured, shifting a little to get comfortable. Tony reached down to pull the duvet over them, smiling at the younger boy.

"Steve, I agree with you on it, of course I'm not angry. Just surprised." He settled down on his side facing the blonde, both pressed together to avoid falling out of the narrow bed. "So how should we do this? When the time comes, I mean." Steve bit his lip, and Tony smirked. "You've thought about it, haven't you? Go on, Rogers, tell me all your dirty, dirty fantasies. And go get your sketchbook." Steve smiled, grabbing his wand off the nightstand and summoning his red sketchbook. Tony grinned, making grabby hands towards it, and Steve settled down, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders as he told Tony about all the things he'd dared to hope over the past few months. Tony listened patiently, amazed at how much Steve had been thinking about it, and more than a little turned on. Damn, he loved this man.

.-.-.

Usually, when Tony needed advice on something, he went to talk to Bruce or Steve. He'd already talked to Steve, and clearly talking to Bruce wasn't an option; therefore, Pepper was next on the list. "Pay attention to me!" he whined, watching her file some of his and Bruce's notes on their latest spell prototype. "I need your advice."

"What did you blow up now?" the redhead asked with a sigh, raising an eyebrow at him. Tony shook his head, shuffling closer to her. There was no one else in the Room of Requirement with them, and he'd made sure everyone else was busy and not likely to interrupt them.

"I'm serious, Pep. Can we talk?" She frowned at his earnest tone, setting the file aside and turning to face him.

"Sure, Tony, what's up?"

"Steve wants to bring Bruce into our relationship. Like, in a threesome." Before she could interrupt, Tony told her everything that Steve had said about how he felt about Bruce, and how they were almost dating anyway. Pepper listened without interruption or judgement, bless her heart, and gave him a long appraising look once he was finished.

"Well, he has a point," she remarked, and he looked at her inquiringly. "You're both pretty much dating Bruce, just without all the benefits. You might as well get the benefits." He blinked, stunned, making her laugh. "What? It's true. Even when you and Bruce weren't dating, you guys acted like you were, and even now when I walk in on the three of you cuddling it's hard to tell whose hands are where. Don't tell me you're not still attracted to Bruce."

"No, no, I definitely am," he confirmed, remembering how easily he'd come with Steve talking about Bruce being in bed with them. "But… I always said, even when we were together, that it was friends with benefits. Platonic love. What if… what if that's all it is? And Steve ends up loving him romantically but I don't and then I end up breaking us all apart?" He was surprised at how easily the words came out, but he couldn't stop them if he'd wanted to, and Pepper sighed, reaching out to hug him.

"Oh, Tony. You're so stupid sometimes," she murmured, cheek pressed to his hair. "For one, Steve would never choose Bruce over you in that situation, so don't be an idiot. Secondly, are you really telling me you never felt romantically about Bruce? That your friendship with him is exactly the same as, say, your friendship with me? Or Rhodey?" Tony opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again, thinking about it. No, his friendship with Bruce wasn't the same; Rhodey wasn't really a cuddling kind-of guy, and Pepper didn't cuddle with him often. And he didn't get that comforting warm feeling when just sitting around and hanging out with Pep or Rhodey like he did with Bruce. A similar feeling that he got when just doing stuff with Steve… oh, shit.

"Shit," he said aloud, the realisation smacking him in the face. Pepper smirked, looking smug.

"Imagine what it would be like to date both Bruce and Steve. Not just sex, but other relationship stuff. Actual dating," she instructed him, going back to her filing. Tony let himself think about it, imagining kissing Bruce randomly like he did Steve, having both of them come stay with him over the summer. Going to bed together, waking up together. Hanging out and watching movies and doing science and just _being_ together. It… really wasn't all that different to how they were now, just with more kissing. More closeness.

Then, of course, being Tony Stark, he let himself imagine what sex would be like with both of them, Steve's fantasies fuelling most of it. Damn. "I gotta go, Pep. Boyfriends to find, wolves to seduce," he declared, jumping to his feet and bending to kiss her forehead. "Thanks for the help."

"Be gentle with him, Tony! You know what Bruce is like!" He waved a hand behind himself to let her know he'd heard, racing out of the room to go find Steve. He knew they couldn't rush into things, but now he'd started thinking about it, he couldn't stop.

He found Steve in the library with Bucky, Clint and Natasha, and the four looked up when Tony stopped by their table, out of breath. "Tony, what? I thought you were with Pepper — did you _run _here?" Steve asked incredulously, brow furrowing in confusion.

"I need to talk to you," Tony blurted, eyes on Steve. "About that thing. That we were talking about. The other night." Well aware of the three other sets of eyes on him, he tried to be as vague as possible, and Steve's eyes widened.

"Oh, that thing, yeah. What about it?"

"I thought about it. I'm up for it if you still are. I'm in," Tony said firmly. Bucky groaned under his breath, burying his face in his hands, and Natasha smirked. Clint, however, just looked intent, and Tony remembered that the Hufflepuff had been the one to get Steve to think about his feelings to begin with.

"Are… are you sure?" Steve asked, hope in his voice, and Tony nodded.

"One hundred percent. Let's do this. Preferably as soon as possible." Steve looked at his friends, biting his lip.

"Guys, do you mind if I…?" He gestured vaguely, and Bucky glanced up.

"Sure, go, do whatever kinky, depraved sex act you and Stark have planned, and for the love of Merlin do not give me details when it's over. I'll take your books back to Gryffindor." Steve grinned, and Bucky held up a fist for him to bump as he stood. "See you, soldier."

"Thanks, Buck. I'll, uh, see you guys later," Steve replied, earning a wink from Clint.

"Have fun." Tony grabbed Steve's hand, practically dragging him from the library and towards Ravenclaw.

"We can't spring it on him just yet, Tony," Steve murmured as they walked. "Not while we're both so wound up, he'll freak out. We need to act normal for a while longer."

"Trust me, gorgeous, I have the perfect plan," Tony insisted, flashing the blonde a smirk. "I meant it when I said I'd been thinking about it." Steve grinned back, practically bouncing as he walked, and Tony wanted nothing more than to drag him back to the dorm and ravish him. Unfortunately, Bruce was back at the dorm. Hopefully, that soon wouldn't be a problem.

.-.-.

Tony's plan required they wait until the Friday evening, when they were all done with work and friends and were just back at the dorm, all bundled in Tony's bed and cuddling. Tony and Steve could hardly relax at first, knowing what was — hopefully — going to happen, but once they were all tangled together it was easy enough to just let things go and doze in the comfort. They were in their usual position, with Bruce and Tony curled up on Steve's chest, the blonde's long arms encircling both of them. It was warm, and familiar, and yet after the images that had been rattling around Tony's head the past two weeks, he couldn't restrain his arousal. Bruce didn't comment, though; it wasn't the first time it had happened. It also clearly wasn't going to be enough, and Tony discreetly tapped Steve on the shoulder, letting him know he was going ahead with the plan.

Still with his face pressed to Steve's neck, Tony let the hand that was on Bruce's hip slide upwards a little, sneaking under the werewolf's t-shirt and caressing his back. Bruce shifted at the touch, frowning faintly, but Tony acted natural, letting his hand go back down until his fingers ghosted under the waistband of Bruce's boxers. "Uh, Tony," Bruce muttered softly, squirming at the touch. "That's not Steve's back."

"I know," Tony replied, hiding a smirk, bringing his hand around to Bruce's front and walking his fingers up his friend's chest, tweaking a nipple in a way he knew drove the Ravenclaw crazy. Bruce stifled a gasp, turning to glare at him.

"Tony!" he hissed. "What the hell are you doing? Your boyfriend is right here!"

"Oh, I'm enjoying the show," Steve murmured, a smug smirk tugging at his lips. He loosened his arm around Bruce, resting a hand on the older boy's bare thigh and stroking it with his thumb. "Just relax, Bruce. It was my idea, but Tony and I have been thinking about it for a while now. See, I noticed a while back that you, and me, and Tony; we're practically all dating each other. But you don't get any of the fun parts of dating, and we both really, really want you to," he murmured, both he and Tony keeping their hands roaming, using their knowledge of the werewolf's body to keep him calm and in place.

"You… what?" Bruce asked, perplexed. Tony smiled, leaning in to press butterfly kisses to his friend's neck.

"We want you involved with us, Bruce," he breathed, daringly trailing his hand over the front of Bruce's boxers, smirking at the growing hardness he felt there. "I didn't realise how much I wanted it until Steve brought it up a little while back, but if you want… we could make the three of us a permanent thing. Sex and more. Maybe not public to the school, because people are weird about this sort of stuff, but… we want you to be an equal part of our relationship."

"You want me to be in a polyfidelitous triad with you?" Bruce asked, making Tony grin.

"Knew you'd know the word for it," he murmured. "What do you say? You can totally bail if you're not into it. No harm done, we won't bring it up again. But… the offer is out there. We'd really like it if you said yes." Leaning back a little, Tony could see the apprehension in Bruce's eyes, and both of them were shifted as Steve moved to look at the werewolf properly.

"No pressure, Bruce. I'll admit, we're not being all that fair; both Tony and I had a while to come to terms with it," he confessed sheepishly. Tony smiled, running a hand up and down Bruce's arm, cupping his shoulder.

"Just think how amazing all three of us could be together, babe. You know you and me work well, and me and Steve work well. I think you and Steve could be pretty damn awesome if you gave it a shot. He's kind-of in love with you," he added with a wink. Steve flushed, but didn't deny it.

"And… you?" Bruce asked hesitantly. Tony tried not to cheer at the hope in his friend's voice; maybe he was actually coming around.

"Bruce, honeybear, I've been in love with you for longer than I think I realise," he admitted easily, smiling. "Turns out I was lying back when I said it was platonic. Who knew?" Bruce rolled his eyes, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"You never did understand your feelings," he teased lightly. Tony gave a mock-wounded look, resting a hand on the curve of Bruce's hip.

"So are you in or out? Or do you want Steve and I to leave you alone for a while so you can think it over?" Bruce sighed turning to look at Steve.

"I've wanted this for months," the blonde admitted freely. "But I'll respect your decision." They both waited, watching Bruce as he seemed to think things over, and Tony's breath left his lungs as the curly-haired boy leant down, pressing his lips to Steve's. Steve didn't hesitate in deepening the kiss, humming into it and letting his hand slide up Bruce's thigh to grip his ass gently. When they parted, both of them turned to smirk at Tony, who was sure he was drooling.

"Please do that again," he requested, and Bruce laughed.

"Come here," he urged, pulling Tony into a kiss that was familiar yet different, their tongues twining with ease. Tony could feel Steve's hand on his back, and it only fuelled him on, knowing his boyfriend was getting off on him kissing Bruce.

"Is that a yes?" he asked when they parted, grinning at Bruce's sparkling brown eyes.

"We should talk about things," Bruce replied, though he was smiling. "But yes. I'm up for it if you are. But we should really figure out how things are going to work."

"Here's how it's going to work," Tony murmured, flexing his hips slowly against Bruce's thigh. He grabbed his wand from underneath the pillow, and with a muttered spell Bruce's bed shot across the room to press against his, giving them twice the space. "You and me and Steve are going to spend the entire evening having crazy hot sex and getting better acquainted. Then we're going to pass out for a while. Then, in the morning, we're going to text our friends and tell them we're busy this weekend. Then we can talk. Then we go back to the crazy hot sex." He wormed a hand underneath Bruce to slide into Steve's boxers, gripping his length and making him buck up into Bruce's leg, drawing a moan from both of them. "Any objections?"

"Not from me. Merlin, Tony, stop teasing." Steve eased into the middle of the two bed and let Tony and Bruce move either side of him, allowing him to lift his hips and shimmy out of his boxers. Bruce's eyes went wide.

"I keep forgetting that the potion enhanced everything," he mused, and Tony and Steve shared a smirk.

"Everything except that, gorgeous. Turns out scrawny Steve Rogers was hung like a horse." Tony had been amazed the first time he'd seen Steve naked, and the blonde had embarrassedly mumbled apologies if he wasn't big enough, as that area was the only thing the potion hadn't changed. The image of the tiny, frail boy Steve had been with that monster between his legs had almost been enough to make Tony black out then and there.

"Damn," Bruce muttered, reaching out with a tentative hand to wrap it over Tony's. "Well, I'd be an idiot to say no after that." Tony beamed, relief and excitement making him giddy as he pounced on both of them, Steve equally enthusiastic. What better way to mark the start of a new relationship than with an entire weekend of sex and depravity with the men he loved?


	49. Y6: When I Get You Alone

_**Title:**__ When I Get You Alone_  
_**Summary:**__ With Tony, Bruce and Steve a little preoccupied, Tasha, Clint and Phil take the time to catch up with Pepper. They say they don't gossip, but that's a lie._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2032_  
_**Pairings: **Clint/Coulson,__ Steve/Bruce/Tony_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

The nest in the middle of the room was a huge giveaway that one of the occupants of the room was Clint Barton, and Clint was a little bit proud of that. He, Phil, Pepper and Tasha were sprawled out in the comfortable pillow-nest, taking sanctuary in the peace and quiet. They'd gotten used to hanging out as a group when Pepper and Tasha had been together, and as the two girls were still friends they all ended up gravitating together anyway. With Steve and Tony and Bruce still figuring out whatever the hell it was they wanted to be, contacting them wasn't really the best idea; they barely surfaced for classes, let alone socialising. Most of the other Gryffindors in their group were trying to figure out what the hell was going on between Thor and Loki, Darcy was hanging out with Loki, and Bucky, Rhodey and Peggy were doing something with Falsworth and the rest of Bucky's other friends. Clint still found it strange, how their little group tended to splinter off every now and then, but they all still spent plenty of time all together, and things were far less awkward between Jane and Thor by now.

Clint leaned into Phil's hand as it ran through his hair, watching Pepper doing something on her tablet and Tasha absently charming paper butterflies to flutter about and change colours, occasionally transforming into paper daggers and spearing the target on the wall. "It's hard to believe it's February already," he mused, having done a double-take when he'd seen the date that morning. "Feels like the year's barely started."

"Remember how this time last year everyone was going nuts over Valentine's Day?" Pepper remarked with a laugh, glancing up from her work. "I swear, you two were the only ones not freaking out."

"For everyone but us it was their first one properly together," Phil pointed out. Pepper and Tasha had gotten together in late January, and had both agreed they hadn't been together long enough for anything more than a card and some chocolate. "We'd done all our freaking out the year before." Clint snorted, a smile crossing his lips as he remembered the panic he'd been in about their Valentine's date and his present for Phil. But it had turned out great in the end; a quiet walk around the grounds to avoid all the chaos in Hogsmeade, a picnic by the lake, then to Clint's archery room for a lesson that devolved very quickly into making out and both of them coming in their pants.

"Is anyone even doing anything this year?" Tasha queried with raised eyebrows, and Clint shrugged.

"We're staying in for the night, unless Phil is planning a surprise for me," he replied, glancing up at his boyfriend.

"I've claimed this room, but just for movies and video games," Phil confirmed. "And Merlin knows what Tony and Steve have planned for the occasion." Clint frowned in confusion, then realised that of course, Tasha didn't know about Bruce. No one but he, Phil and Pepper knew, other than the three boys themselves.

"Weekend sex marathon, from what Tony last told me," Pepper informed them. "And something about chocolate body paint. I didn't ask." Clint snorted, smirking.

"Isn't that just like, a normal weekend for them?" Phil rolled his eyes, swatting him lightly, but Pepper giggled.

"I don't think anyone else has plans. Peggy's probably doing something with her boyfriend, and Bucky will no doubt be dragged out by whatever girl he has on his arm that week," Pepper continued, finally setting her tablet aside. "And I don't doubt Fandral will have a date."

"I dunno, Sif was talking about keeping them all in that weekend. Supporting Thor in solidarity, or something," Tasha cut in, sending a barrage of paper daggers towards the target. "So it looks like it'll be a quiet weekend all around. Unless you're Stark."

"Oh, Tony's always the exception. But I doubt Steve will be all that quiet either," Pepper added with a smirk, making Clint snicker.

"Well, as fun as it's been discussing our friends' sex lives, I have quidditch practice," Tasha declared, letting her paper butterflies fall to the floor as she got to her feet, wading out of the nest.

"At this time of night? What the hell?" Clint asked, eyebrows raised. It was only an hour until curfew.

"Maria wants us to get used to playing in the dark because the Gryffindor match is so late," she explained, heading around the edge of the nest to lean down and kiss his cheek, then Phil's. "Don't stay up too late, I'll see you all tomorrow."

"Don't break any fingers!" Pepper called after her, a fond smile on her face. Clearly Tasha would never live down breaking four fingers in the last practice before the Gryffindor match.

"She's up to something," Clint declared as soon as the Slytherin girl was gone. Pepper raised an eyebrow at him. "She's sneaking around about something. I don't know what, and I presume she'll tell me eventually, but she's definitely up to something."

"Don't pry into her business," Phil said quietly, a concerned look on his face.

"I won't, I won't. Like I said, I'll wait for her to tell me eventually," the archer assured, kissing Phil's cheek. "So, Pep, what's really going on with Stark and his harem? You have to know, you run his life."

"They've been surprisingly quiet about it, actually," Pepper replied, shrugging. "I went to hang out with them the other night so I could get Tony to look over some research submissions, and they really didn't seem to be much different to how they usually are, which says a lot about them. The only thing unusual was Steve and Bruce were cuddling in Tony's bed without him, and the trash was full of used condoms."

"Ew." Phil snorted at his boyfriend's mutter, amusement in his face. Clint figured he was probably thinking of their own waste paper basket full of condoms. "So they're all definitely screwing? About damn time. Bruce deserves a little love in his life."

"He does, but I can't help but worry," Pepper said, a frown tugging at her lips. "Tony's not exactly great with people."

"Oh, come on; if there's two people in the world he's not going to fuck up with, it's Steve and Bruce," Clint pointed out. "I'm happy for them, and I think they'll be fine. Stop mothering him." He paused, then smirked. "I wonder how it works between them. Like, do they take turns, or what?"

"I really don't think it's any of our business," Phil cut in quickly, sending Clint a pointed look. "Other than accepting it, being supportive and moving on. We don't even know if they're going to be open in front of us all."

"Neither Steve nor Tony will be able to keep their hands off Bruce long enough to keep it a secret from our whole group. They'd slip up within twenty minutes of the next movie night," Pepper remarked, smiling slightly. "They'll be open once they've figured it all out, I'm sure. We just have to be patient." She smiled, giving them both a knowing look as Clint tried and failed to hide how his hand was inching closer to Phil's ass. "And speaking of people who can't keep their hands off each other, I should get going."

"We're not _that_ bad," Clint whined, earning a raised eyebrow from the redhead.

"Clint, I can't even _see_ one of your hands right now, and I know that Phil's other one has been feeling up your thigh for the past ten minutes. I know when I've outstayed my welcome," she replied teasingly, getting to her feet. "Don't stay out too late, boys, it's class in the morning. Just because you're not on duty doesn't mean you can stay out all night," she scolded Phil, moving around the outside of the nest to kiss them both on the cheek, hugging Phil around the shoulders.

"I know, we'll be back before curfew," the older boy promised, hugging back with one arm. "Goodnight, Pepper."

"Night, Pep," Clint added, smiling. When she was gone, Clint turned to his boyfriend, hand heading back to Phil's ass. "We're not as bad as Stark," he maintained stubbornly, and Phil smirked.

"No one is as bad as Stark. But it's still terribly rude to start groping each other in front of friends," he reasoned, not surprised when the nest transformed into a king-sized bed underneath them. They'd found out long ago that trying to have sex in the nest was difficult.

"She's Pepper, it's fine," Clint replied flippantly, a smirk at his lips as he started to tug Phil's t-shirt over his head. Phil helped him, leaning in for a kiss once his chest was bare, hands creeping under Clint's own shirt. "Shame it's too late for us to have our own weekend sex marathon. Maybe next weekend."

"Can't, I'm on duty," Phil replied, pulling Clint's shirt off of him. Clint pouted; prefect duty ruined all of his plans. "I'm sure we'll fit plenty of sex into our Valentine's Day plans," he promised, making the younger Hufflepuff brighten.

"Excellent." He smirked, winking at Phil. "But how about that, huh? Wanna go for a threeway, follow Stark's new trend?" he joked, helping Phil out of his jeans. The taller boy paused, pulling Clint up to face him with an oddly serious expression on his face.

"It's not that I don't believe in being able to love more than one person, because I do, but I personally could never even think about loving anyone as much as I love you, and I don't see the point in adding people to sex just to spice things up a little. I have no need for anyone but you, in both my bed and my heart," he said softly, completely honest. Clint actually felt himself choking up a little, speechless at the intensity of Phil's words. He'd only been joking about the threesome.

"See, things like that are the reason all of our friends are convinced we're going to get married straight after I graduate," he remarked lightly, pressing a kiss to his lips to show he reciprocated everything Phil had said. He was never good with expressing his emotions, but luckily Phil could read him like a book and he very rarely needed to. His boyfriend knew exactly how he felt about him.

"I've already got the ring picked out," Phil retorted with a wink, smirking. Clint blinked, stunned.

"Are you joking? Because sometimes I can't tell when you're joking and when you're not." Not that he ever considered not marrying Phil after graduation, but… he was fifteen. He had two and a half years before graduation. Picking out the ring already was just a little premature.

Phil kissed him again, pushing his own jeans down his hips, and distracted Clint by gripping him through his boxers. "You'll never know," he replied mysteriously, then smirked wider, easing Clint's underwear down his legs. "If you want to have sex, you'd better stop staring and get on with it or we'll have no time for anything but a quickie." Clint grinned wolfishly at the challenge, reaching for the lube and condoms that appeared on the nightstand beside the bed.

"Challenge accepted, gorgeous." As Clint kissed him hard, working on divesting him of his underwear, he mentally talked himself out of searching Phil's stuff the next time he was alone in his boyfriend's dorm room. If Phil did have a ring, he'd rather it stayed a surprise; it wasn't like the older boy was going to give it to him any sooner than his graduation. Having it picked out just meant that he'd seen the perfect one and wanted to keep it safe until it was time. Though… to see the perfect ring, he'd had to have been in a jewellery store to begin with.

Clint shook himself mentally, concentrating more on what Phil was doing with his hands. He didn't want to know whether Phil was joking or not. He could wait a couple of years to find out.


	50. Y6: Elephant in the Room

_**Title:**__ Elephant in the Room_  
_**Summary:**__ Thor and Loki have been edging around the subject for long enough. Finally in private, they decide they need to talk, and things are resolved_  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2397_  
_**Pairings:**__ Thor/Loki_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

Enjoying the rare silence of the corridors around him, Thor wandered with his hands in his pockets, his tie loose around his neck and his shirt untucked. Classes were over for the day, so no one would chastise him for having a scruffy uniform.

His last lesson of the day had been Muggle Studies, which was the only one he didn't share with any of his friends, and as such he had no one to walk back to Gryffindor with. Instead he escaped the horde of girls that tried to follow him out of the classroom and strike up conversation with him, ducking behind a tapestry until they were gone. None of them had said more than two words to him before he'd broken up with Jane, and that wasn't the type of person he wanted to associate with. Besides, he hadn't had time alone in a long while; all his friends seemed to think that he shouldn't be left on his own in his 'delicate state'. He appreciated the thought, really, but it had been months since the end of his and Jane's relationship, and he was no longer as upset about it as he had been. Truthfully, he could see where Jane was coming from. Even if they had stayed together, the relationship would probably be over by now. Thor's thoughts of Loki were definitely not the type of thoughts you had about someone who wasn't your partner.

Sighing to himself as his mind turned to Loki, as it often did, he absently wondered what the younger boy was up to. He hadn't spoken to Loki for a few days, both of them being so busy with work — and, more to the point, neither of them really knew what to say to each other. The awkward indecision was almost worse than when they had been actively avoiding each other, both wanting to say something but not sure quite how to say it. Especially since Thor had finally realised that his feelings were not those of brotherly affection towards the dark-haired Slytherin.

Reaching the Room of Requirement, Thor glanced at his watch; he doubted anyone else would be using it at this time. Most of them would probably be going to dinner. It was the perfect opportunity to get some time to himself, he could go raid the kitchen later. No doubt the house elves would be delighted to see him. Pacing outside the hidden door, he focused on a place to relax, checking the corridor to see no one was watching him before slipping into the room.

It was not as he had imagined it to be, though was still very close; similar to the library at home, but with more green. Frowning in confusion, Thor wondered if the room was faulty, before he spotted a familiar head of jet-black hair over the top of the sofa. "Oh, Loki," he greeted, sheepish. "Forgive me, I had assumed the room would be unoccupied. I can leave, if you would prefer."

Loki glanced up, a tentative smile crossing his lips at the sight of Thor. "No, you may stay if you wouldn't rather be elsewhere. I was just reading." His smile grew wry, and he shifted to get a better look at the Gryffindor. "And forgive me for finally breaking our unspoken truce, but I think we've been skirting the issue long enough now. We need to talk." Thor felt his cheeks flush, and shrugged. There was no point in playing oblivious, in pretending he had no idea what the younger boy was talking about. Loki knew him better than to believe it.

"I think you're right. May I?" he asked, gesturing to the space beside Loki, and the Slytherin nodded, shifting over so Thor could join him. Thor sank down onto the sofa, running his fingers through his hair. "Where do we even start?" he mused, leaning back against the armrest so he was facing his adoptive brother.

"Well, you could start by letting me know what I did so wrong that even now you're single, you won't contemplate having a relationship with me," Loki asked plainly, prompting Thor's eyebrows to shoot up.

"Pardon? Loki, I assure you, you have done nothing wrong. It is not that I won't contemplate it; if anything, I am contemplating it far too much," he insisted quickly, reaching forward to place a hand on Loki's knee, eyes imploring. "Do not think you have wronged me in any way, my raven; you have done just the opposite. My… reticence is no fault of yours, but of my own. I needed time to organise my thoughts before making a decision. I would not want to commit to anything until I am absolutely sure; the last thing I want to do is play with your feelings." Loki pursed his lips, looking at him skeptically.

"I was under the impression that matters of the heart weren't the sort of thing to be organised," he commented, making Thor fight a smile. Loki was so very obvious sometimes, even when he thought he was being aloof. It was charming.

"Trust me, Loki," he said softly, squeezing the younger boy's knee. "It is not my heart that needs organising. It knows exactly what it wants, but unfortunately my mind must remind it of the harsh realities. There is no doubt that I love you, and I do not doubt either that you feel the same way. But regardless… there is the matter of our parents to consider, and the reactions of those who would oppose us. You are young enough for it to be considered me taking advantage, and, well, with our legal relation being what it is…"

"Does it really matter, what others might think of us?" Loki protested earnestly. "I believe Mother would only want us to be happy, and Odin can go fuck a centaur for all I care. If it would please you, I can get an emancipation as soon as I am sixteen; the bonds of my adoption would be null and void, and then the only one of your problems would be age. Which is, unfortunately, something I cannot change. However, it will hardly matter once we are both of age." Thor chuckled, shuffling in closer.

"Oh, my Loki. As always, when the world does not suit your will, you will bend it until it does," he mused fondly. Loki's pale cheeks flushed pink, but a pleased smile flickered at his lips. "An emancipation would help, if you are not opposed. But while I would like for it to not be so, one of us needs to consider the issues at hand."

"For once, you are the more responsible of us," Loki teased, his smile widening as he moved until their knees were gently pressing against each other. Thor sighed, his body practically aching with the need to have Loki close to him. He may not have known what he was missing for all these years, but now he did, it was so very close, and he just wanted to stop worrying and take what was offered.

"It had to happen eventually," he returned lightly, finally giving in and reaching out a long arm to wrap around Loki's shoulders, pulling him into his side. "I'm sorry if I made you feel like I was rejecting you," he murmured, tucking the smaller boy's head under his chin. "If I had known that was how it came across, I would have said something sooner." He smiled as Loki relaxed into him, one hand coming up to play with his tie.

"You're forgiven, I suppose," Loki replied, a playful tone to his voice that assured Thor he was only teasing. "But regardless, if the age issue is a problem for you, would you prefer to wait until I am older?" Thor frowned thoughtfully, hand absently stroking Loki's arm.

"We were never really friends," he mused quietly. "Even as children, we always seemed to have something to prove to each other. Maybe we could try that, until your age is less problematic. Attempt to get to know each other better as friends before anything more develops." Loki twisted in his arms, looking up to meet his gaze.

"Thor, how could I possibly know you better than I do already? We have shared everything, even if we did not realise," he murmured, one hand on Thor's shoulder to steady himself. "I see where you are coming from, but… I admit freely that I could not possibly be just friends with you when I have to try so hard not to kiss you breathless." Thor grinned at the frank confession, mischief in his blue eyes.

"I said we could try being friends. I never said we could not kiss," he retorted, drawing a quiet laugh from his companion.

"What part of a friendship involves kissing? Well, unless you're Stark and Banner," Loki added dryly, making Thor's grin widen.

"Maybe I meant more of a relationship than a friendship," he amended sheepishly. "But we must not take things too quickly. You mean more to me than I have words to express, and I do not want to jeopardise that." Yes, he had loved Jane, and part of him still did. But Loki had been there through everything, his silent support even when Thor had thought he could stand on his own two feet, and there was nothing that could compare to that.

"I have waited years to even have the chance to talk amiably with you without the risk of alienating you by admitting my feelings," Loki told him, eyes bright. "I can surely wait a while longer. I know it will be worth it."

Unable to resist, Thor leaned in to press their lips together, finally confirming to himself that yes, he was going to do this. He was going to be in a relationship with his adoptive brother. He was going to allow himself to feel what he had hidden and denied and not noticed for so long. He had spent long enough mulling it over and trying to convince himself that he wasn't in love with Loki; why bother trying any longer when it was clearly futile?

Loki kissed back eagerly, hand moving to cup Thor's jaw and pull him in closer. Thor swiped a tongue over the Slytherin's lips, begging for entrance, and was rewarded as they parted without hesitation. Merlin, he could spend all day doing this. Despite Loki's inexperience, he wasn't shy in the slightest, and Thor pressed their foreheads together when they eventually parted. "Yes, I think there should definitely be as many repeats of that as we can possibly manage," he murmured, making Loki laugh.

"I'm sure I can oblige," he drawled in reply. The hand on Thor's cheek slid up into his hair, tangling in the long blonde strands. "Stay and sit with me a while," he requested. "It has been far too long since we have spent time together without those giggling lunatics you call friends."

"They are your friends too, now," Thor pointed out, sounding pleased. "And speaking of them, are you not meant to be spending time with them? Surely Darcy will be worried should you not appear for dinner, and Natasha is growing fond of you."

"Darcy knows I am taking time to myself," the Slytherin assured. "And everyone else seems too busy with each other to concern themselves with my whereabouts. There's something about this time of year that sends everyone into a frenzy." It was only just March, and for most students the studying frenzy was only just beginning. Thor could hardly believe how fast time had flown; how had he managed to leave Loki hanging for over six months?

"But how can you be taking time to yourself if I stay with you?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, grinning when Loki rolled his eyes and poked him in the shoulder.

"Don't be daft, Thor, it hardly suits you. You know damn well you don't count in that scenario; there is seldom a time where I wouldn't prefer your company over my own. Unless you have something else to be getting to? Our friends are more likely to notice your absence than mine." Thor's grin widened at the use of 'our', and he shook his head.

"Despite mine and Jane's parting being five months ago, they seem to think I am still mourning it. None of them seem willing to question what I do, at the moment," he reasoned. Beginning to lose feeling in his arm, he shifted them both to be more comfortable, his legs stretched out along the sofa and Loki on his chest.

"Jane spoke to me, you know. Over Christmas," Loki admitted, making Thor glance down in surprise. "She actually encouraged me to talk to you. I believe her words were, 'if I can't make him happy anymore, I think you've got a pretty good shot'. Presumably she is not too heartbroken still." The blonde's lips pursed, trying not to show his astonishment too blatantly. He and Jane were back on fairly cordial terms, if a little stilted, but he never would have expected her to actually talk Loki towards dating Thor. He really needed to give the girl more credit, and possibly have a chat with her to clear the air. He missed her friendship more than any other part of their relationship; she had been his advisor in many difficult situations.

"I am always happy when you are near, my raven," he replied earnestly, smiling. Loki leaned up to kiss him once more, the smile on his face reaching his eyes in a way that stole Thor's breath.

"And I could not possibly be sour when you kiss me so readily. Perhaps, should you do so often enough, you may melt the famed silver casing of my tongue," he murmured in response. Thor chuckled, twirling his adoptive brother's dark hair around his fingers.

"You would not be Loki without that silver tongue of yours, and I would not have you any other way. Kissing you, however, is definitely something I can manage." Loki smirked, the expression happier than Thor had seen him in a long while, and he had to resist the urge to kiss the younger boy again. He got the feeling that taking things slowly would be far harder than he anticipated.


	51. Y6: House Rivalry

_**Title:**__ House Rivalry_  
_**Summary:**__ The Slytherin/Ravenclaw quidditch match pits Tasha and Tony against each other in a battle for the cup, and their friends don't know who to support. Well, they do; they just don't want to admit to choosing sides._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3290_  
_**Pairings:**__ Clint/Coulson, Steve/Tony/Bruce_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

Phil sat patiently on the bench at the Hufflepuff table, trying not to move as his cheeks were painted. Clint on one side, a hand on Phil's thigh as he carefully outfitted him with a green and silver snake, while Steve on his other side painted what was no doubt going to be an astonishingly accurate Ravenclaw crest.

"You, uh, okay there, Phil?" Pepper asked bemusedly, her face free of paint and the only house adornment that of her own yellow and black. He tried to smile at her, only to get swatted by Clint for moving.

"Fine," he replied, trying to move his mouth as little as possible. "They were arguing, it was the best way to settle it." Pepper snickered, turning back to her breakfast with an amused shake of her head.

It was, of course, the Slytherin vs Ravenclaw quidditch match. The points were so tight in the cup already, every team needed to do their absolute best to have a chance at winning. Tony, Natasha and Jane were already in uniform, eating their high-energy breakfasts and trying to avoid discussing team tactics. They probably should have been sat with their teams at their own house tables, but the rest of their teammates knew better. On quidditch days, all of their group ate together before the friendly house rivalry began.

"We should probably get going," Tony declared from Steve's other side, pushing his empty plate aside. "Give enough time to put our robes on and let food settle before the match." Jane and Tasha nodded, finishing their own breakfasts, and Clint paused in his painting to reach over and hug his best friend around the shoulders.

"Kick their asses, Nat," he urged her, making her smile.

"I will," she promised, bending to press a brief kiss to Phil's hair. "Thank you for the support, even if you are sitting on the fence for this one," she teased him, and he grinned.

"Good luck out there. Try and catch the snitch; Stark has been smug enough as it is lately." Ever since things between Tony, Steve and Bruce had settled down into what seemed to be a comfortable triad relationship — Phil wasn't technically meant to know, as they hadn't come clean to the rest of their friends, but he figured they wouldn't mind Clint having told him — all three boys had been even happier than usual, it showing in the form of six new Stark Industries breakthroughs thanks to both Tony and Bruce, and almost a whole sketchbook full of incredible art from Steve. He couldn't help but wonder when the rest of their group would catch on enough to actually ask them about it.

"Hey!" Tony protested, mock-hurt on his face. "Oh, I see where your loyalties lie. Here I thought we had something special." Phil snorted, raising an eyebrow at the Ravenclaw as Steve and Clint both finished their artwork, setting the facepaints they had borrowed from Darcy back in their box.

"I am completely impartial," he assured, deadpan. Tony gave him a shrewd look, bending to peck Bruce on the cheek and then kiss Steve's lips, running a hand through blonde hair with a smirk.

"Good luck, Tony," Steve murmured fondly, he and Bruce both with Ravenclaw colours on their face, Tony's scarf wrapped around his neck.

"Fly well, both of you," Bruce added, reaching to squeeze Jane's shoulders with a smile. Saying their goodbyes to the rest of the group, the three quidditch players left the hall, and Phil snorted as he saw the rest of the Ravenclaw team suddenly rushing their food upon seeing their captain leave. The Slytherin team were all sat with Maria at their table, and looked to be finishing up anyway.

"So who do you think will actually win today?" Bucky asked, leaning over Peggy to get some more bacon, ignoring her rolling her eyes at him.

"It's pretty evenly split, could go either way," Phil replied with a shrug, free to eat now that his face was painted. He didn't really understand the hype about quidditch, but went to all the matches out of support for his friends. If so many of them weren't in their respective house teams, he didn't think he'd bother.

"We should start heading down, get good seats," Bruce declared, checking his watch. "The match will be starting soon." Glancing around, Phil noticed that several other students were making their way out of the hall, and got to his feet. Clint's hand slipped into his, squeezing gently, and the younger Hufflepuff grinned at him, bumping their shoulders together.

"It's gonna be a good match," he declared firmly, excitement in his voice. "I can feel it." Phil smiled back, lacing his fingers tighter through Clint's. As they walked down to the pitch, their group split into two smaller groups; the Gryffindors plus Darcy and Loki went around to the other side of the stands with the rest of their house, while Phil, Clint, Steve, Bruce, Rhodey and Pepper all stuck together to head to the Hufflepuff stands, Steve and Bruce deciding to stay in neutral grounds. As much as Bruce liked quidditch, he didn't really like cheering for one friend's house over another, but it was different when Tony was playing. He'd allowed Steve to paint a Ravenclaw crest on his cheek, and was smiling as he walked close enough to the tall blonde that it looked like they were holding hands.

"Kinda cute, aren't they?" Pepper murmured under her breath, her eyes also on Bruce and Steve. Phil smiled, and Clint sniggered.

"Cute? They're practically dripping sugar," Rhodey muttered with a roll of his eyes, answering Phil's thoughts as to whether the younger Hufflepuff knew. Of course he did; he and Tony had been best friends since they were toddlers. Even though he tended to spend more time with his yearmates instead of their group to 'avoid the crazy' as he put it, he was still definitely in the loop. "I'm hoping this is just a honeymoon phase and they'll get over it soon, because it's getting ridiculous. You should see them when they're just around people who're in the know, they're twenty times worse."

There had been only one group get-together since the shift in the boys' relationship, with everyone being so busy with their own things, and while Phil had noticed the three being even closer, it really wasn't all that different to how they usually acted. It would probably take two or three more movie nights before anyone else began to notice, and Phil doubted they would want to keep it secret that long anyway.

"You're all looking very serious," Bruce commented, startling Phil when he realised the Ravenclaw had walked closer to them as they'd gotten to the stands. "What's up?"

"Nothing, nothing," Clint assured with a smile. "Just wondering when you two and Stark will tell the others." Bruce flushed, and Steve bit his lip, his hand on the small of Bruce's back.

"We've been talking about it," the blonde admitted. "We thought we might need some time, but it really hasn't taken that much adjustment. You were right when you said we were all practically dating anyway."

"So it's going well, then?" Phil asked with a raised eyebrow, trying not to look like he was too concerned about them. As much as he pretended they all annoyed the crap out of him, they were his best friends, and he wanted them to be happy. Bruce and Steve shared a look, both grinning.

"Yeah," Bruce assured softly. "It's… really, really great. And I think we'll be telling the others soon." The conversation was interrupted as a loud horn sounded, warning that the match was about to start, and they all hurried up the stairs to get to the stands, shuffling over to their seats at the very front. Surrounded by Hufflepuffs waving flags from both houses, Phil couldn't help but smile at the bright grin that took over Clint's features as he and Steve immediately leant against the railing, peering down at where both teams were stood on pitch with their brooms at the ready. Rhodey called a quick goodbye to them, heading to join his other Hufflepuff friends higher up in the stands, leaving Pepper, Phil and Bruce sat together.

"Well, that's them gone for the rest of the match," Pepper remarked with a grin, gesturing to where Steve and Clint leaned right up on the railing to the point of almost falling off, cheering and whooping as the quaffle was thrown high into the air and the match began.

"Come on, Phil; Tasha will know if you don't cheer for her!" Clint called, glancing over his shoulder at his boyfriend. Phil rolled his eyes, staying put in his seat. He could see Natasha circling the pitch, completely ignoring Tony as he did the same thing, both on the hunt for the snitch. Phil knew neither of them would catch it this early; both houses wanted as many points as possible before the snitch was caught, to get a decent lead over everyone else.

"She's not even doing anything yet!" he pointed out, folding his arms over his chest. The weather was starting to turn, but it was early morning, and still fairly cold.

"Besides, Phil can't cheer for Tasha as he's going to be cheering for Tony, right?" Steve argued lightly, earning a snort from Clint.

"Not if he wants sex tonight, he's not," he muttered, and it was Phil's turn to blush. He glared at Bruce and Pepper, who were chuckling quietly.

"Bruce, come on," Steve urged, holding out a hand and turning bright blue puppy-eyes on his boyfriend. "Come heckle Slytherins with me."

"I— but— ugh, fine," Bruce relented, useless against the pleading power of Steve's gaze. Getting to his feet, he squeezed in between Steve and Clint, the Gryffindor's arm sliding around his waist as they cheered on Jane and the other Ravenclaw chasers darting towards the goals, quaffle flitting between them.

"I hope they're prepared for when the entire school clocks on," Pepper murmured, winding an arm through Phil's and leaning into him for warmth. "Because the way they act, they'll slip up sooner or later."

"We've only got a little over a year left," Phil pointed out. "And Tony is the richest man in the wizarding world. I doubt anyone will say anything too bad about them. Especially not with the amount of people willing to hex them if they did." Pepper smirked, hand automatically going to her wand.

"Damn right I would," she muttered, a protective glint in her eyes. A cheer went up as Ravenclaw scored, and Clint cursed loudly, making Phil smile in amusement. "Merlin, I still can't believe it's March already. This year's gone by so fast."

"Next year will go even faster," he replied knowingly. "Then we'll be graduated before you know it. Out in the big wide world." Pepper hummed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Are you dreading it as much as I am?" she asked wryly, and he barked out a laugh.

"Oh, definitely. It's going to be terrible, and not just because I'll be away from Clint. I have to get a _job_," he groaned, shaking his head. He was in no way looking forward to graduation, which he never would have imagined at the beginning of his school career. If they were all leaving at the same time, it might not have been such of a scary prospect, but he was jealous of the half of their friend group who got to stay another year, or even two in Darcy and Loki's case. He wasn't ready to be a functioning member of society just yet.

"You know Tony will employ you," Pepper pointed out reasonably. "If you asked him. Hell, I think he plans snapping up half our year."

"I couldn't," Phil protested, shaking his head. "I don't think working admin for Stark Industries would really be my thing, and I'd like to get a job through my own merit rather than because of a friend." Secretly, he was hoping for a Ministry job, maybe with the DMLE. But he'd need damn good NEWT results for that.

Clint turned to look at them both as Slytherin scored to make it 70-60 in Slytherin's favour, scowling at the pair of them as he realised they weren't paying attention to the match. "God, you two are so boring!" he groused, glaring lightly at them and reaching back to tug Phil's arm, dragging them both to the railing. "Come watch, it's got to be more interesting than whatever you were talking about."

"We were talking about Tony wanting to hire me after graduation," Phil replied, obligingly wrapping his arms around Clint from behind, propping his chin on the shorter boy's shoulder so he could still see the pitch. Bruce welcomed Pepper in between him and Phil, shrugging off his coat to wrap around her shoulders and waving off her protests.

"Oh, Merlin, please don't go work for him, you sell-out," Clint muttered, making Phil snort.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to," he assured dryly. "Pepper was just saying it's an option."

"Yeah, well it's not. Now stop talking about graduation and watch the match so I can pretend you're never leaving." There was a slight waver to Clint's voice, and Phil kissed his cheek lightly, paying attention to the quidditch as asked. It did seem to be a close match, the quaffle flying up and down the pitch but never quite making it to the goals. Tony and Tasha were still drifting, keeping their eyes peeled, and Phil's arms tightened automatically when he felt Clint tense. "Come on, Tash, it's right there," the fifth year murmured, and Phil raised an eyebrow.

"You've seen the snitch?" he asked softly, not wanting to alert Steve, who was cheering for Ravenclaw to level the score. Clint nodded, raising a hand discreetly to point towards the Ravenclaw end of the pitch. It took Phil several moments, but eventually he spotted it, the small glint of gold that darted around near the stands. Looking back at the two seekers, his eyes went wide when he saw Tony turn first, chest almost flat to his broom as he raced towards the snitch. Breath catching in his throat, he looked over to Natasha, relief flooding him when he saw her immediately turning to follow Tony, clearly realising he wasn't feinting. Vaguely hearing the commentator talking about the two seekers, he held Clint tight as his boyfriend practically climbed over the railing to cheer Tasha on.

"Go Tony! Come on!" Pepper screamed beside them, Bruce and Steve also egging on their boyfriend, and Phil rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Tasha!" he yelled, cheering along with Clint. The crowd was going insane as the two seekers raced towards the quickly moving snitch, the rest of the match forgotten by even the rest of the players. Jane held the quaffle loosely under one arm, hovering in mid air and watching the chase intently. Phil murmured encouragements as the pair drew closer and closer, Tony just edging out over Tasha, his arm outstretched. His broom was, of course, of his own creation — broom-crafting was something he wanted SI to look more into once he left Hogwarts — and now he'd gotten the spells right, it outstripped Natasha's. But her flying skill was immense, and so even her slight handicap wasn't enough to rule her out completely.

The two ducked and weaved around each other as they followed the snitch behind the goalposts, turning sharply between two of them. Phil smirked when he saw Tasha lightly elbowing Tony out of the way when he got a little too close, but it didn't put him off for long. Clint groaned loudly as the Ravenclaw _just_ edged forward, hand closing around the snitch before Natasha could do anything about it. A huge cheer went up from the stands, and Phil glanced aside to see Steve jumping up and down in his excitement, hugging Bruce tightly and just barely remembering to kiss his cheek instead of his lips. Pepper squealed as the blonde hugged her too, and Phil hugged Clint tighter around the waist, kissing his jaw.

"Can't win them all," he murmured consolingly. "And they still got seventy points towards the cup tally."

"Yeah," Clint agreed, turning in his arms now that the match was over, not wanting to watch the Ravenclaw team do their victory lap. "But now I owe Steve two galleons." Phil snorted, looking to the Gryffindor, who was beaming widely as he held out a hand, one arm slung around Bruce's waist.

"Pay up, Hawkeye," he urged, raising one eyebrow. Clint scowled, digging into his pocket for the money, and Phil hid his grin; at least Steve was too nice to be particularly smug about it.

"Don't look at me like that, Phil; just because you don't understand quidditch," Clint grumbled, poking his boyfriend's shoulder.

"I do understand quidditch, I just don't understand how it turns you all into children," Phil retorted playfully, smiling. The crowd were beginning to filter out, plenty no doubt heading to Ravenclaw for the victory party. The win had sent Ravenclaw to the top of the table, and Slytherin would have to beat Hufflepuff by at least one hundred and sixty in order to even have a chance of challenging them. Clint wasn't going to let that happen — Natasha might be his best friend, but on the pitch they were sworn enemies — so Slytherin were pretty much out of the running.

"Well, you're stuck with all of us, so I guess you'll just have to suck it up and watch quidditch," Clint teased. "Now come on, let's go down and wait for the others to get finished," he urged, sliding a hand into Phil's. The five of them joined the crowd of students shuffling towards the stairs, wanting to get down to linger outside the changing rooms until Tasha, Tony and Jane were finished. Most of the Slytherin team would probably end up coming to the party, and Phil doubted they'd be too devastated over it. He knew most people had assumed that with Tony Stark as captain, Ravenclaw would wipe the floor with everyone this year; the fact that everything was so close was impressive in itself.

"Well, there's always next year," Phil remarked, and Clint smirked.

"You kidding me? Next year is _ours_, damn it! We've not won the cup since before I joined the team, and I'll be damned if I have to wait for all you dinosaurs to graduate before I can rub it in your faces," he declared, making the older Hufflepuff laugh.

"Then I look forward to the victory party you organise as team captain next year," he retorted, watching Clint's grin grow even wider. The archer was desperately hoping to get the badge, as he and Rhodey would be the oldest players on the team next year. Phil was privately confident that he would get it.

"Hurry up, slow pokes, or you'll miss the party!" Steve called, reaching back to pull them further into the crowd leaving the stadium.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. We're not in any hurry to watch you make out with Tony all night," Clint jibed, watching as both Bruce and Steve blushed, looking away. Phil smirked, leaning in to whisper in Clint's ear.

"How about we ditch the party as soon as Tony and Jane will let us and lock my roommates out of the dorm all night?" he drawled, feeling Clint stiffen in his embrace, a slow smirk crossing his lips as his eyes darkened with lust.

"Baby, you have the _best_ ideas."


	52. Y6: Coming of Age

_**Title:**__ Coming of Age_  
_**Summary:**__ Tony Stark's Birthday Extravaganza is all anyone at Hogwarts currently cares about. Tony left all the planning to Pepper, so he knows it'll be epic._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 9760_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony/Bruce, Clint/Coulson, Thor/Loki_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

"I'll make it worth your while," Tony drawled, leaning back in his chair and eyeing the man sat opposite him. "I'll actually try not to blow up the labs next year. I'll attend class instead of ditching to go make shit because I already know the material. Hell, I'll _tutor_ kids. Or I could just pay you."

"While your offer is… tempting — though even I'm not enough of a bastard to inflict you on some poor brats in need of tutoring — I really couldn't give a damn what you do so long as you pay for it all yourself, do all the clean-up without getting me involved, finish up by 2am, and keep the alcohol away from anyone under fifteen." Tony blinked, staring at his headmaster, who was looking bored with him already. Tony had only been in his office for five minutes; that had to be a new record.

"Well, yeah, that was the plan to begin with," he replied with a shrug. "Fifteen? Really? Damn, Darcy's gonna be pissed." Fury smirked, arms folding over his chest.

"Fifteen," he confirmed. "Lewis has problems, tell her to take it up with me. Now get out of my goddamn office before something spontaneously combusts from your mere presence." Tony snorted, unable to help himself, and jumped up from his chair, offering an elaborate bow to the older man.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Heading towards the revolving staircase that would take him out of the Headmaster's office, Tony's smirk widened and he pulled his phone from his pocket, pressing speeddial 3. If he was going to be planning the most awesome party to ever have partied at Hogwarts, he would need one person, and one person only. "Hey, Pepper?" he greeted, stepping off the staircase with his phone to his ear. "I need your help with something."

.-.-.

Fingers carding absently through Bruce's hair, Tony craned his neck to look at the long list on the parchment Pepper was writing on. "Wow. We really need all that stuff for a party?" he asked with raised eyebrows, and the redhead fixed him a look.

"Yes, Tony. Haven't you ever planned a party before?" He gave her a pointed look, making her huff. "Of course you haven't," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Look, I'll tell you what; I'll take care of everything. It'll be my birthday present to you. Just leave it to me, and all you have to do is turn up on time." Tony went wide-eyed, a grin tugging at his lips.

"Seriously?" he asked, and Pepper nodded. "Wow. You are _so_ awesome, seriously, best friend ever, I am totally getting you expensive shoes for your birthday, you wonderful, wonderful woman." He leaned over, ignoring Bruce's squawk of protest as his head was jarred, and kissed Pepper on the cheek, grin widening when she laughed and jokingly pushed him away.

"Just don't make me regret it," she replied lightly, smiling. Tony winked at her, nudging Bruce on the shoulder.

"I won't. Come on, Bruce, let's go upstairs before Pep can change her mind. You can hang here with Jane, right Pep? Girl time?"

"Hmm? But Tony, we're meant to be waiting for Steve." Their third partner was up drawing on the astronomy tower, something about the sunset being particularly great that day.

"I'm sure someone will send him up to us when he gets here," Tony assured, dragging the groggy werewolf to his feet. "G'night, Jane, Pepper. Have fun planning my birthday party." With a smirk on his face, ignoring the exasperated look the two girls shared between them, he and Bruce retreated to their dorm room, his hand already tugging at his boyfriend's tie before they could even get to privacy. Really, trying to keep their thing a secret was just becoming far, far too much effort. Hopefully soon he'd be able to convince Steve that people really didn't care that much, and they could tell their friends and let the rest of the world draw their own conclusions. It was none of their business, and the three of them didn't have anything to hide.

"Is it wise to let the girls plan everything? They could turn it around on you, make it some formal dinner party," Bruce pointed out, not protesting when Tony pulled his jumper over his head.

"No, Pepper wouldn't do that to me, not this year," he insisted confidently. He was turning seventeen, becoming of age in wizarding society. Pepper knew how important it was to him to have some crazy teenage fun before he took his place as an adult in society. Despite being emancipated for a while, he couldn't take up a lot of his responsibilities until he was of age, and he was both excited and dreading it. "Now come on, why don't we give Steve a nice surprise when he gets here," he urged with a soft smirk, leaning in for a kiss as his fingers worked Bruce's shirt buttons.

"Does that surprise involve the two of us naked?" Bruce asked knowingly, undoing Tony's belt as he spoke, the two of them walking towards the bed. They'd done away with the two singles weeks ago, instead having just one large bed for the three of them. It was technically against school rules, but whatever. Tony pushed Bruce down onto the bed, kicking his trousers off before crawling on top of him.

"Bruce, babe, you know me so well."

.-.-.

Two weeks later, Tony woke up on the morning of his seventeenth birthday, bare-ass naked between his two equally naked boyfriends. Which, in his opinion, was the best way to start the day. Tilting his head, he smiled when he met Steve's sleepy-eyed gaze, the blonde's hair mussed and his arm slung around Tony's waist. "Morning, beautiful," he murmured, stretching a little to press a soft kiss to Tony's lips. "Happy birthday."

"Mm, thank you," Tony replied with a smile, pulling him a little closer. Glancing to his other side, his smile turned fond as he saw Bruce was still fast asleep, nuzzling into Tony's shoulder. "Time is it?"

"Half eight," Steve told him, fingers tracing absent shapes on Tony's flat stomach. "We promised to meet for breakfast at nine, I let you sleep as long as I dared." Tony whined low in his throat, a pout coming to his lips.

"You mean I've got you both naked and in bed on my birthday and we don't even have time to do anything about it?" he asked, making Steve chuckle, kissing him again.

"All the sex you want this evening, I promise. And tomorrow," he vowed, blue eyes sparkling in anticipation. It was a Saturday, so they had worked out that today would be for friends and his party, and Sunday would be for just him, Bruce and Steve. It had involved coming clean to the rest of the group, but that had been less of a huge announcement and more just to confirm what everyone seemed to already know. Tony knew Phil hadn't just been messing with him when he said they'd been too lovey-dovey at the last movie night for people to _not_ notice.

"I look forward to it." He paused when he felt Bruce shifting, turning to watch as the werewolf began to blink awake, looking dazed until he scented who was in bed with him and a pleased smile crossed his face. "Morning, sleepyhead," Tony greeted with a smile, running a hand down Bruce's bare back. The curly-haired teen hummed, kissing Tony's shoulder and looking up at them both, brown eyes still foggy. Sleepy Bruce was Tony's favourite kind of Bruce, even over horny Bruce. "God, you're adorable." Steve snickered as Bruce flushed pink, propping himself up on one arm to lean over Tony and kiss the werewolf slowly.

"He's right," he confirmed cheekily. "You are. Good morning."

"Morning," Bruce mumbled, snuggling into Tony's shoulder. "How long have you two been awake?"

"Only five minutes or so," Tony replied. "Steve was just saying we need to get up or we'll be late for breakfast. I was trying to persuade him to stay and have sex with us instead." Bruce smirked, glancing over at Steve.

"I'm all for that plan," he commented, making the blonde snort.

"Oh, hush, both of you. We promised today would be about friends." Tony rolled his eyes, pulling Bruce into a slow kiss, knowing there was nothing that got Steve hotter quicker than seeing him and Bruce starting something.

"Happy birthday, Tony," Bruce murmured against his lips, hand resting on Tony's shoulder to steady himself. "Do you feel dirty about sleeping with Steve yet?" Bruce had been seventeen for a few months now, and had joked when they got together that technically he was a dirty old man sleeping with two minors.

"Not yet. Maybe he should let me fuck him and we can find out," Tony retorted with a wink, smirking up at his youngest partner. Steve rolled his eyes, kissing Tony quickly before sitting up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.

"Tonight, I promise. Don't ruin what Bruce and I have planned for you," he scolded playfully, cheeks turning red as two sets of eyes watched him pad around the room naked, looking for some clothes and a towel.

"Ooh, you two have plans? I'm intrigued," Tony drawled, letting Bruce drape over him more comfortably so they could both stare at Steve. God, they were lucky sons of bitches.

"Yes, we have plans. But only if you're a good boy," the werewolf breathed against his ear, kissing his neck. "C'mon, we'll let you share the shower, but only if you're quick. Don't want to keep the others waiting." Tony hummed, pleasure shooting through him as Bruce pressed against his back briefly before pulling away, making Tony's morning wood stiffen even further. Steve, towel draped around his waist and clothes under his arm, paused in front of the door and turned to smirk at them, the expression at odds with his baby blue puppy-eyes.

"You two coming, or what?" Tony and Bruce shared a look, then scrambled to join the Gryffindor, practically falling over each other in their effort to get out of bed. Steve chuckled, watching them hunt down towels and boxers, and Tony hustled them both out of the room and to the showers when they were all ready, his towel not making any effort to hide his erection. It was a good thing no one else was up yet.

.-.

Showered, dressed, and satisfied, the three of them headed to the Room of Requirement to meet their friends for Tony's birthday breakfast. They'd decided against eating in the Great Hall; ever since the party had been announced, people from all years had been trying to suck up to Tony in order to get an invitation. He'd been pretty liberal with the invites, but even so, he didn't want some random third year he'd never met to be at his birthday party.

Nudging the door open, he grinned at the sight of the room inside; one large round table for all of them, enormous plates of pancakes, and a banner up on the wall reading 'Happy Birthday Tony!'. "Hey, the birthday boy's here," Clint called with a grin when he saw his friend, drawing the attention of the rest of the group. Despite the fairly early hour, they were all wide awake and smiling, though Tony noticed Thor and Bucky eyeing the food wistfully.

"Happy birthday, Tony!" Pepper greeted, coming over to hug him, kissing his cheek. "Look at you, all grown up."

"I think we've got a while yet before he's grown up," Phil remarked wryly, a smile on his face. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks. Wow, you guys, this looks awesome. How much did you have to bribe the house elves into cooking all this?" he asked, staring at the spread laid out. Looking closer, he could see there was more than just pancakes; bacon, eggs, French toast, sausages, hash browns, and piles of fruit and sweet toppings for the pancakes and toast.

"Bribe, are you kidding me? The elves freaking adore you, man, they did all this for free," Rhodey assured him, coming over to hug him. "Now sit down and eat before Thor starts chewing on the tablecloth." The tall Gryffindor blushed, and Tony laughed, taking the seat reserved for him, Steve and Bruce seated on either side. There was a party hat set out in front of each chair, and Tony smirked at his; it was a plastic crown, like the type you'd find at a kids' party. Setting it at a jaunty angle on his head, he grinned at his friends.

"I hope you're aware I will be wearing this crown all day," he informed them, making Pepper snort.

"Knew it was a good idea." He beamed at her, reaching for the nearest stack of pancakes, and that seemed to be the cue for everyone to dig in.

"Are we all ready for the party tonight?" Tony asked, directing his question to the table at large, but mostly to Pepper.

"Yeah; Rhodey, Peggy and I are gonna go decorate the hall later, and everything should be set to start on time. Hogun and Volstagg have kindly volunteered to keep an eye on the door, and the house elves jumped at the chance to make your birthday cake and the rest of the food," she assured him, smiling. Tony's grin widened, and he saluted at the two Gryffindors further down the table.

"You two are awesome, thank you," he declared, earning twin smiled from Volstagg and Hogun, their cheeks bulging with bacon and eggs. They were going to be putting a charm on the door so that no one without an invitation could get in, but that didn't mean there wouldn't be attempted gatecrashers.

"I'm surprised you're not going all present-crazy yet," Natasha remarked. "I mean, they're right over there." She gestured towards a table against the wall that Tony had noticed as soon as he entered; of course he had, it was piled with presents for him.

"Hey! I'm capable of acting like a mature, responsible adult and waiting until after breakfast to open my presents!" he exclaimed. The table was silent, and Tony rolled his eyes at the many skeptical looks pointed at him. Even Steve and Bruce were eyeing him with raised eyebrows, the traitors. "Ugh, fine, I was hungry. But now I've had pancakes can I open them? Please, Mom?" Once again, his question was directed to Pepper, who snickered, rolling her eyes.

"Sure, go for it. Infant," she muttered fondly, but Tony didn't care, jumping from his seat and darting towards the table with a whoop of glee. Ignoring the laughter from his friends, he reached immediately for the box covered in silver paper that he'd seen Steve and Bruce wrapping a couple of weeks ago. Sure enough, the tag declared it to be from both of them, and he tore into it eagerly, lifting the lid to peer inside. His breath caught in his throat; right on the top was a framed, full-colour drawing clearly done by Steve, of their whole friend group gathered around their usual Room of Requirement for movie night. Steve had even drawn himself in, curled up on a couch with his sketchbook on his knee and Bruce and Tony snuggled in on either side, hands loosely clasped on Steve's lap. Everyone was there, even Loki, who was sat between Thor and Darcy looking surprisingly relaxed, Thor's shoulder pressed close to his.

"Wow, Steve," he murmured, running his fingers over the glass. They all looked so content, so comfortable in each others' company, and Tony still couldn't quite believe that he had managed to find himself in the middle of such an amazing group of people. So much for his worries of being incapable of finding true friends when he first started at Hogwarts.

"You like it?" Steve asked hesitantly, cheeks a little pink and the same hopeful smile on his face he got every time he showed someone something he'd drawn for them.

"I love it," Tony confirmed, beaming. He set it down carefully on the table, peering into the box once more, and his eyes went wide. "Merlin, Bruce, is that what I think it is?" Reaching in, he eased the thin object out. It was a vinyl ACDC record in its case, the one that would finally complete Tony's collection. He'd been meaning to get it for a while, but had never gotten round to it; it was rare.

"Yup. I know you've not got that one, and I saw it in a thrift store over Christmas break when you were working. I couldn't resist," the other Ravenclaw admitted, smiling faintly. "It's not much, but… I hope you like it. You're a hard person to buy for."

"Bruce, baby, you and Steve are getting the _best_ blowjobs tonight, I swear to God," Tony declared solemnly, ignoring several of his other friends letting out loud groans at the overshare. They were used to it by now. Steve and Bruce both grinned, even as Steve's cheeks reddened further. Easing the record back into the box, he darted over to drag them both into a tight hug, pressing a kiss first to Steve's lips then Bruce's. "Best birthday ever," he murmured with a grin. "Love you guys."

"Yeah, yeah, you've got the whole of tomorrow for the lovefest," Clint cut in with a roll of his eyes. "Just open the rest of your presents." Tony laughed, breaking away from his boyfriends and flipping the bird at the blonde Hufflepuff, heading back to the table.

"Alright, I'm going. I'll open yours next, quit whining," he placated dryly, not needing to check tags to know that the present wrapped in bright purple was from the archer. Ripping the paper off, a beaming smile split his face at the sight of the Zonko's Deluxe Pack. "Sweet! I hope you're aware most of these will be used against you," he warned the younger boy, earning a smirk in return.

"I expected nothing less. Happy birthday, jackass," Clint replied with a smile. Next to Clint's gift was a neatly wrapped gift from Phil, and Tony barked out a laugh when he opened it.

"The Idiot's Guide to Business," he read off the cover of the book, meeting his yearmate's amused gaze. "Trying to tell me something, Coulson?"

"I just thought it'd be helpful for after graduation," Phil replied evenly. Tony grinned, setting his new book beside the Zonko's pack and turning to the rest of his presents. Despite the fact that he was definitely, as Bruce had said, a difficult person to buy for — what did you buy a billionaire genius for his birthday? — He loved each and every one of his gifts, all of them proving just how well his friends knew him after nearly six years. Other than his presents from Bruce and Steve, his favourite had to be the 'Get out of Trouble Free' card, printed out like a Monopoly card and laminated, just the right size for him to fit in his wallet. Pepper assured him that he could do whatever the hell he wanted on one occasion and pull that card, and she wouldn't get mad at him or do anything about it. He could only use it once, however; his mind was already plotting furiously to find the perfect situation in which to use it.

The hype of gift-opening over and the food all gone, the group began to split up to get on with their day, all promising to be on time to Tony's party. The only ones left in the room were Tony, Bruce, Steve, and Pepper, who cleared away all the wrapping paper with a wave of her wand, leaving only the presents behind. "Are you three planning on doing anything for the rest of the day?" she asked curiously, and Tony shrugged.

"Not really. We were just gonna hang around here, maybe go down to the lab for a bit before the party. Want to hang with us?" As he spoke, the breakfast table disappeared to be replaced with two squashy couches and a coffee table. Steve hopped over the back of the larger couch to settle down on one side, tugging Bruce by the hand until he joined him, a space open between them for Tony.

"Are you sure I won't be intruding?" Pepper checked, but Tony just rolled his eyes.

"Pepper Pot, you're never intruding," he insisted, rounding the couch to drop down between his lovers, watching Pepper take the couch opposite. "God, I hope tonight is as awesome as it is in my brain when I think about it. I'm sure it will be, I mean, you organised it," he added with a grin to his Hufflepuff friend. Pepper smiled back, tucking her feet up underneath her.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. But I'm pretty sure everything should go as planned, so I'm sure you'll have a great time. We all will," she assured him. "You did the essay due Monday, right?" she checked, and Tony rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Mom, all my homework is done, I can go out to play," he droned lightly. "Steve and Bruce did all theirs, too." The three of them knew that absolutely no work would be getting done the next day, and had prepared accordingly. Pepper smirked at the three of them, tucking a lock of stray hair behind her ear. With a brief thought from Tony, a TV appeared on the wall opposite, and he immediately grabbed the remote. "Pick a movie, any movie," he told the room at large, scrolling through a large selection of films. Pepper smiled, allowing the boys to argue over the film choices, and made herself a little more comfortable. They had quite a bit of time to kill before she had to be anywhere.

.-.-.

The lights in the room went up as the film ended, and Pepper was completely unsurprised to look over at the other couch to see the three boys unaware that the credits were scrolling, too busy exchanging brief kisses and letting their hands wander. They had been all over each other since after the light lunch the house elves had brought them, and Pepper had indulgently ignored it.

"Merlin, I hope you three get out of the honeymoon stage soon, it's infuriatingly adorable," she teased, watching them smile at each other.

"Aww, sorry Pepper. We're getting better," Steve insisted earnestly. "It's just still really new, and… we wanted it for a while before it happened. Even if Tony didn't realise," he added with a chuckle, kissing Tony's temple. Bruce had admitted after the first time all three of them had slept together that he'd been fantasising about it for a long time, but never imagined it would actually be an option.

"New? Steve, you got together in February. It's April," Pepper pointed out with a knowing smirk, watching the Gryffindor turn redder. Steve really did blush too easily; she'd have thought spending more time with Tony would cure him of that.

"Oh c'mon, Pep. Like you wouldn't be handsy all the time if you had these two gorgeous pieces of man candy at your disposal," Tony cajoled unashamedly, winking at her as he grabbed Bruce's thigh playfully, making the curly-haired teen jump. Pepper laughed, nodding to concede the point.

"Fair point. But unlike you guys, I would actually remember that other people are in the room," she ribbed, only half-joking. It wasn't so bad when all of them were together, but when it was Tony, Bruce and Steve with only one or two other people around, the rest of the world didn't exist. It was really sweet, how they were all so crazy in love with each other, but also kind-of irritating after two and a half months. At least it was nearly summer; they'd no doubt be into married couple status by the time they returned to school in September.

"We don't forget _all_ the time," Bruce insisted, though he didn't sound too sorry and his hand was in Tony's hair, his head leaning against Steve's forearm where it lay across the back of the couch. "And to be fair, we're only that bad around people because we've started spending half our time in the dorm studying. Our exams might not be important this year, but Steve's are, and we all want him to do his best." Pepper's attempt at a reprimanding look melted at the earnest-puppy expression on Steve's face at his boyfriend's words. Honestly, how anyone was ever able to refuse him, she didn't know. It was a good thing he was such a decent person, or he could seriously take advantage of having a face like that.

"I'll believe that when I see it, and you stop groping in public when exams are over. It's a miracle the reporters haven't run a story yet," she remarked ruefully. Now that the majority of students had Starkphones and computers, the wizarding world was very quickly getting online under their own separate network than the muggles — again, engineered by Tony — and news-sharing was getting even faster than it had done previously.

"What can I say; when my name is printed on the back of every electronic device in this school, people think twice about using them to tell the world about my private life," Tony pointed out with a shrug. Pepper hummed in agreement, glancing at her watch.

"And speaking of your private life, I have to go meet Rhodey and Peggy to start setting up the hall for your party. I'm sure the three of you will appreciate the alone time, since you claim you don't get enough of it," she added playfully, getting to her feet and slipping her feet back into her shoes.

"Wow, is it that late already?" Bruce asked, surprised, as he checked his own watch. "Damn. We should take your presents up to the dorm, Tony."

"Gorgeous, if that's code for sex, I think Pepper is aware of what our plans are," Tony informed him with a smirk, getting up to hug Pepper briefly. Bruce chuckled, lips quirking.

"That too, but I really did mean taking your presents up. We'll see you later, Pepper. Text if you need any help," he added, and the redhead rolled her eyes, hugging him.

"Bruce, trust me, you will be the last person I text for help today; Tony will throw a fit if I take away either of his boyfriends on his birthday. Go have fun, I'll see you three at the party," she told them, having to bounce right up on her tiptoes to kiss Steve on the cheek. He was the kind of guy that required constantly wearing heels, and that just wasn't conducive to live at Hogwarts with all its stairs and walking.

Leaving the three of them to gather Tony's presents up, Pepper took several shortcuts to get back to the Hufflepuff dorm, where she'd left most of the party decorations for safekeeping. Her roommates all had party invitations, so they weren't likely to mess with the decorations for fear of losing those invites. Rhodey was hanging in the common room with his roommate that wasn't Clint and a couple of the Hufflepuff girls from his year. "Hey, Pepper," he greeted as she approached, smiling. "Duty calling?"

"Afraid so. Give me five minutes to go get everything from my room, then we can head down and meet Peggy," she confirmed.

"I'm so excited for this party," Janet, one of the girls, commented with a grin. "It's going to be like, the highlight of the school year. It's just a shame Headmaster Fury didn't insist on teacher chaperones," she added, grin faltering slightly, and Pepper stifled a sigh. Everyone in the school seemed to know of Janet's crush on Professor Pym, except the socially inept Potions' Master himself. Pepper was a little concerned about what would happen when Janet finally graduated; she knew a lot of people had money on her jumping him straight after the ceremony.

"I think with what Tony has planned, it's best that the teachers stay oblivious," Rhodey pointed out to her, smirking. Pepper left them to their conversation, hurrying up to her dorm room to grab the magically expanded box that held everything she'd need for Tony Stark's Birthday Extravaganza. She was actually very glad that Tony had turned the planning over to her, despite how much hard work it had been to get everything together in time. Had the Ravenclaw been left to plan it himself, there probably would have been strippers and explosions.

Collecting Rhodey from his friends on her way back out, Pepper allowed the younger boy to carry the box when he insisted, leading the way down to the Great Hall. There were still quite a few students eating in there, and Pepper spotted Peggy sat at the Gryffindor table with Fandral. "Hey, guys," she greeted as she sat down, Rhodey placing the box on the table. "Peggy, are you ready to get started? We've got a lot of work to do if we want a decent amount of time to get ready."

"Would you three like an extra hand?" Fandral offered, but Pepper gave him an amused look.

"Don't you have a date or three to romance before the party?" she asked knowingly, and he smirked in reply.

"Just the one, tonight," he assured her. "And I assume she'll want all the time she can to prepare for the festivities. It's the talk of the school; everyone wants to look their absolute best." Pepper grinned happily, glad that Tony's party was getting the hype it deserved. Should they pull everything off, it would be the best party in the history of Hogwarts; Tony Stark wouldn't accept anything less.

"Then it's only fair you have enough time to look just as handsome for her as she will for you," Peggy told the blonde, smiling. "Thank you for the offer, Fandral, but I'm sure between the three of us and the house elves we'll have it covered." He nodded, setting his empty plate aside and getting to his feet, offering them a quick bow.

"Very well, then. Ladies, Rhodey, I shall see you this evening." With that he left, and Pepper and Peggy shared smiles as Rhodey rolled his eyes. Even after nearly six years of being around teenagers, Thor and his crowd still spoke like they were from the middle ages most of the time. Pepper kind-of hoped they never changed; it was both hilarious and charming in equal measures.

"Right, to work. Rhodey, you work on setting up the lights, and Peggy, you can help me with the streamers," Pepper ordered, getting into boss mode. They were less streamers and more huge swathes of fabric that would drape around the walls and ceiling beams, but streamers sounded far less pretentious. With a nod, Rhodey moved the box to the floor and started pulling out everything they'd need, drawing the attention of the few students who were still finishing up their meals.

"If you're finished with your food, please do not linger in the hall," Headmaster Fury announced with a sonorus charm to his throat. "The sooner Miss Potts and her friends can decorate for this damn party, the sooner it can start and finish and I can wash my hands of it all." Pepper snickered, levitating a length of metallic silver fabric up towards the nearest beam, Peggy controlling the other end. With Fury's magical eye staring intensely at anyone who tried to dawdle, the hall soon cleared of students, and he left his place at the head table. "I trust you two to keep everything under control. If Stark breaks anything, he pays for it, are we clear?"

"Yes, sir," Pepper assured promptly. "Trust me, we've prepared for just about every eventuality. The last thing we want is for you to regret giving us this freedom." As much as Tony was all for causing havoc and chaos, Pepper had reminded him that Fury had the power make his last year at Hogwarts a living hell, and refuse to let him and Bruce come and visit Steve once they'd graduated. After that, the genius was surprisingly compliant.

"That remains to be seen," Fury remarked dryly, folding his arms over his chest. "Well, the hall is yours. Please do not blow up my castle before the night is over." Pepper gave the man her most reassuring smile, and he snorted and shook his head, turning to leave the hall. As soon as the door shut, the four long house tables disappeared and a small army of house elves popped into the room, practically wriggling with excitement.

"We is ready, Missy Pepper!" the kitchen's head elf, Kizzy, declared eagerly, offering a curtsey. Pepper grinned at the elf, allowing Peggy to take over with the streamers.

"Excellent. How about we set the tables up first, hmm? Then we can work on placing the food."

.-.

With the help of the elves, the hall was set up and ready for the party with just over an hour before things kicked off, and even Pepper was impressed with what they'd managed to pull together. "It looks amazing," Peggy complimented, smiling brightly. "You've outdone yourself, Pepper." There was a huge dancefloor set up in front of a conjured stage, where the DJ — a squib who worked in both the wizarding and muggle worlds — was set up with his sound deck. Coloured lights flashed all over the room, and with the stars in the ceiling above and the metallic and jewel tone fabrics draping the room, it looked like the inside of a high-class club. Circular tables seating six each were dotted around the edges of the room, and a long table covered in food ran the length of the left side wall, the enormous blue and silver seven-tier cake in the very centre of the buffet. It was a culinary masterpiece, and the house elves were immensely proud of it. Each tier was a different flavour, the icing made it look almost like it was made of circuit boards and wires, and there were seventeen magical sparkler candles just waiting to be lit.

"Thank you guys so, so much," Pepper gushed to the house elves, beaming at them. "We couldn't have done this without you, Tony's going to love it." She was sure she heard a couple of the elves actually squeal, and the excited wriggling returned.

"We is glad Master Tony will be having fun for his birthday!" Kizzy replied. "We is happy to help." After more bows and curtsies, the elves disappeared back to the kitchens, and Pepper turned to her partners in crime.

"Right, we'd better go get ready," she murmured, grabbing the empty box and heading for the doors. "See you back here in an hour? Bruce and Steve are sorting Tony out, right?" Rhodey nodded, a slight smirk at his lips.

"Yeah, and Jane is under orders to make sure they actually leave the dorm on time instead of staying in bed," he confirmed. Pepper nodded decisively, shutting the doors to the hall behind her and sealing them with a powerful locking ward. The last thing they wanted was people entering before the party started.

"Perfect. Peggy, we'll see you later." The brunette nodded, and the three went their separate ways; Pepper and Rhodey to Hufflepuff, and Peggy up to Gryffindor. Pepper smiled to herself on the way up, anticipation coursing through her veins. Just an hour to get ready and back to the hall, and then the chaos would truly begin.

.-.-.

Tony was grinning like a child as he, Steve, Bruce and Jane left Ravenclaw Tower to head down to the hall. Jane was technically going with a Slytherin boy in the year below, but had promised to meet him there once the party started. Tony wanted to get there first so he could greet everyone once they started arriving. "God, this is going to be awesome," he announced, still beaming, and Steve squeezed his hand with a smile.

"I bet. Pepper worked so hard, it'll be nothing less than spectacular," he agreed. "We all just want you to have a great birthday."

"I have my friends, my gorgeous guys, and the entire Great Hall at my disposal until 2am; how could it possibly be anything less than incredible?" Tony pointed out, winking as he playfully slapped Bruce's ass with his free hand, making the werewolf blush. Turning into the entrance hall, Tony's grin widened at the sight of all his friends already gathered outside the hall, dressed in their party clothes. It was muggle-casual, no robes necessary, and not for the first time Tony was struck with how ridiculously attractive his friend group was. Really, it was insane.

"Wow, you guys actually made it on time!" Rhodey exclaimed in mock-shock, earning a punch to the shoulder as Tony approached him.

"Jackass," the Ravenclaw muttered fondly, rolling his eyes. "You guys all look awesome. Are we ready to kick this thing off?" With a glance at his watch, he saw that it was only ten minutes to the hour; people would be arriving soon.

"The door is warded, the alcohol is warded, everything's set up. We are good to go," Pepper told him, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "I hope you like it, Tony. Happy Birthday." The gathered teens stepped aside so Tony could approach the door, and he pushed it open with his invite in hand so the wards would recognise him as an attendant. As soon as he saw the hall, his jaw dropped. It was _amazing_. He hardly even recognised the hall for what it was, and he could feel himself beginning to drool at the sight of his birthday cake.

"Pepper, marry me," he said seriously, making the redhead laugh.

"Flattering, but we both know I won't win against the competition," she teased lightly. "I take it that means you approve?"

"Approve? Pep, this is fucking _insane_. Best party ever, and it's not even started yet!" He reached over to hug her tightly, kissing her cheek. "You're the best, and I love you." She smiled at him, mussing up his hair a little with an impish glint in her eyes.

"You're welcome, Tony. I love you too. Now how about we get this party started?" With a thumbs-up to the DJ, music started pulsing through the room, and the rest of their friends walked through the doorway with invitations in hand. As they stepped through, the paper invites disappeared and a bright blue wristband appeared on each of their wrists, which would allow them access to the room for the rest of the night. Volstagg and Hogun positioned themselves either side of the door, arms folded over their chests in an intimidating manner, and Darcy immediately went to drag several round tables together until they could all sit together.

Arm loosely around Bruce's waist, Tony watched as Pepper went to light the sparklers on the cake with her wand, sparks of several different colours streaming from them and dissipating before they could touch any food. He was so mesmerised by them that he didn't notice Clint's smirk, nor the music dimming in volume.

"Happy birthday to you!" they all started singing loudly at Clint's signal, making the billionaire jump. He turned to Bruce, who winked at him, continuing to sing. "Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Tony, happy birthday to you!" Cheers went up at the end of the song, and their volume made him whip around in shock, seeing several people entering the room with wristbands appearing on their arm, Volstagg and Hogun both towering over the crowd by the doors.

"I have the _best_ friends," Tony declared, leaning up to press a kiss to Steve's lips, squeezing around Bruce's waist. "Seriously."

"You deserve this, Tony. You always go above and beyond for our birthdays," the blonde pointed out, reminding Tony of the incredible Fourth-of-July-Slash-Steve's-Birthday party he'd hosted in the summer when Steve had turned fifteen, and the many ridiculously extravagant things he'd done for the rest of his friends. What could he say? Birthdays were awesome.

"Enjoy yourself, Tony. Everyone needs to blow off some steam before the exams lock us all down, and so do you," Bruce added, kissing his jaw lightly. "Now it looks like the girls want you to go dance." Tony turned, spotting Tasha, Pepper, Darcy and Jane all on the dancefloor, beckoning him over, and he grinned.

"No, honybear, I think they want _us_ to go dance. Come on." Grabbing both his boyfriends by the hand, he dragged them over to the girls, beaming widely as the room steadily filled up with people. Tonight was going to be _awesome_.

.-.-.-.

Nearly two hours into the party already, and Tony was buzzing with energy and a little bit drunk. Things were in full swing, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Tony was trying to make a point of greeting everyone personally and thanking them for coming, making sure they were enjoying themselves; he hadn't realised how many people he'd invited until now. Volstagg and Hogun had given up on the doors after the majority had arrived, confident that the wards would hold, and were now over by their tables chatting boisterously with Thor and the others. The tall blonde Gryffindor had drunk more than anyone else in the hall, but barely even seemed tipsy, his arm draped around Loki's shoulder. The Slytherin boy seemed perfectly comfortable there, hand resting possessively on Thor's hip in a way that made Tony smile, glad the pair appeared to have worked the tension out. Loki could use a little of something good in his life.

Glancing around, he searched out the rest of his friends, wanting to be sure that they more than anyone were enjoying the party. After everything they had done for him, they deserved the night as much as he did. He saw Clint and Phil dancing close together, Natasha nowhere to be seen but probably having gotten fed up of their lovey-dovey-ness. Pepper was fending off the attention of a rather attractive Gryffindor seventh year over by the buffet table, Rhodey hovering nearby looking ready to step in should the older boy get out of line. Jane was happily dancing with the Slytherin she was sort-of-not-really-dating, and Bucky was at a table with five other girls, each of them hanging on his every word. Tony snorted as Sif walked behind the teen and flicked him on the ear with a small smile, walking over to Thor and the others with drinks in her hand.

The ingenious charm over the drinks — Bruce's design — seemed to be working incredibly well, as Tony hadn't seen a single person under fifteen with any kind of alcohol. The charm would make anyone fourteen or under who tried to drink alcohol sprout enormous, unattractive teeth that would make things like drinking, talking and eating very difficult. The teeth would disappear after a few minutes unless it was the person's third offence, at which point they would have to go to Bruce to get them removed. They seemed to be enough of an eyesore to deter even the most determined of underage drinkers. Sipping at his vodka and coke, Tony looked around the room for the two most important people in his eyes, a wide smile coming to his face when he saw Steve and Bruce dancing together, their closeness toeing the line between friends and lovers. The three of them were pretty sure that the rest of the school had guessed by now, but didn't want to do anything too obvious just yet. The longer they could keep their privacy, the better.

He startled as female hands landed on his shoulders, and breasts pressed to his back as a kiss smacked against his temple. "Hey, hot stuff," Darcy greeted brightly as he turned. "How's it hanging?" Tony grinned, slinging an arm around her waist, trying not to stare at how well her glittery low-cut top accentuated her bust. Darcy was one of those girls who had puberty hit them like a freight train, and definitely came out on top. She'd left at the end of last year as a pretty-but-unassuming teen girl, and come back in September a stunningly gorgeous young woman, all curves and coy looks and flirtatious grins. It had taken Tony a little while to notice before the whole thing had smacked him in the face one day, but the boys of Hogwarts definitely weren't so slow on the uptake. Luckily, most of them seemed too terrified of Thor and the rest of Darcy's male friends to even think about doing anything untoward. Any guy who even thought about breaking their baby's heart would have a life of pain ahead of him.

"Hey there, sweetheart. Everything is fantastic, thanks for asking. You having a good time?" She grinned at him, reaching up to rub off the lipstick smudge she'd left on his face.

"The best," she assured. "But you, my dear, need to loosen up a little. This isn't one of your stuffy Stark Industry dinner parties; you don't have to be the perfect little host. No one here cares whether you greet them or not. No offence, dude, but they came here to party, not to party with you. You need to stop trying to make sure everyone else is happy and have a little fun yourself, because you have two unfairly hot boyfriends getting all up on each other without you in the middle, on your birthday, which is a damn shame if you ask me." Tony smiled sheepishly, eyes turning back to where Bruce was trying to teach Steve to grind, the blonde's blush visible even in the dim lighting.

"They are ridiculously beautiful, aren't they?" he remarked, making her laugh.

"Horrendously so, you selfish bastard keeping them both to yourself," the Hufflepuff joked in reply. "Seriously, Tony, don't worry about anyone else in this place. It's not your problem if they don't enjoy themselves, it just means they're a boring person with no soul. All that matters is that you have a good time, so relax, handsome!"

"You're right," Tony agreed, downing the rest of his drink and setting the empty glass on a nearby table. "I need to stop worrying, don't I?" Darcy nodded sagely.

"Yes, you do. Now go get 'em, tiger. I'm gonna go make Bucky's fangirls jealous by making him dance with me." Tony smirked, squeezing her around the waist and kissing her forehead.

"Love you, baby girl. Don't let Buck play grab-ass or I'll have Steve hit him," he murmured only half-playfully, and she snickered.

"Trust me; his hands go anywhere I don't want them to and he won't have any hands left. Save me a dance later, okay?" Tony nodded as he released her, and watched her long enough to see the younger girl ambush Bucky with her hands over his eyes, ignoring the glares of his adoring entourage as she bullied and flirted him into getting up to dance. Every boy in their group was completely whipped to all of their girls, but Darcy more than the rest. She was the baby of their little family, though she hated them calling her that. Confident that Bucky would look after her until she rejoined their table, Tony slipped through the crowd on the dancefloor to get to Steve and Bruce, his jeans feeling a little tighter at the sight of them flushed and sweaty and grinning like loons as they danced with each other.

"Room for one more?" he called with a smirk, making them both turn to face him.

"For you, always," Steve returned, beckoning him closer to wind an arm around his waist, pulling him into a kiss. "Where have you been?"

"I was being stupid, but Darce set me straight. So how about we kick this party up a notch, huh?" Confident that no one would really care and that the fourth year he'd paid to take photographs was elsewhere, Tony reached out to tangle his fingers in Bruce's hair and pull him close, pressing their foreheads together and kissing him as briefly as he dared. "Dance with me, both of you," he murmured, smirking as Steve's arms came around him from behind and he put his new moves into practice, Bruce smiling and draping an arm around Tony's neck. The billionaire relaxed into the embrace, letting the music wash over him and moving to the beat. He wasn't going to worry about anything but himself, his friends and his boyfriends. It wasn't his problem if other people were having drama; he could get filled in on that on Monday. All that mattered was that he made the most of his birthday party. You only turned seventeen once, after all.

.-.-.

By two in the morning, only the most hardcore partiers were still there, and the party was starting to wind down. Tony had seen Phil and Clint leave about ten minutes prior, no doubt in anyone's mind as to what they were going to do, and several more of his friends had called it a night at around half past one, either to find somewhere private with their significant others or just to go collapse in a bed somewhere. "Think we should hit the lights and throw everyone out?" he mused, leaning back into Steve's chest with his feet propped in Bruce's lap, their chairs all close together.

"If it means I can go to bed, definitely," Pepper called from across the table, head propped on her hand. "I'm exhausted."

"Pep, you could have gone to bed hours ago," Tony pointed out with a slight frown, but the redhead only gave him a bemused look.

"And not be here when inevitable disaster struck? Not a chance. But I'm impressed, Tony. Everything went really well, and nothing is on fire. Congrats," she commented, making him snort.

"Thanks," he replied dryly. "But yeah, I think it's time to call it a night. Fury will go nuts if we're all up much later than this." Sighing to himself, he got to his feet and pulled his wand from his arm holster, waving it to raise the lights in the room. As soon as it started getting brighter, the DJ got the hint and let the music fade out, and a loud groan rose from the crowd still on the dance floor. "Sorry guys, but the headmaster will kick me out if we keep partying 'til dawn!" Tony called to them apologetically. "Thanks for coming, and there are hangover remedies on the table outside the door for the morning."

Several people called their thanks and compliments for the party on their way out, until eventually it was just Tony and his friends left in the room with the DJ. Glancing around, he winced at the amount of clean-up that would need to happen; maybe bed wouldn't be happening so soon after all. There were cups and bottles all over the room, spill-stains on the tablecloths and confetti everywhere from the confetti-bomb that had gone off at 10:34PM — the exact time Tony was born. Most of the food had been eaten, and there was hardly any cake left at all.

Glancing around, he smiled as Steve and Bruce got up to help start tidying, and Pepper walked over to the table just inside the door that was piled high with presents, pulling the box with the expansion charm out from underneath the table and beginning to load it up. Thor was too absorbed in making out with Loki to be of any help, but Rhodey was still around to start stacking empty cups, and Sif pulled out her wand to make a start on taking the decorations down.

There was a soft pop, and Tony paused at the sight of eight house elves with the school crest stamped on their little outfits, recognising a couple of them from the kitchens. "We shall tidy up, Master Tony!" one of the elves chirped, the others not even waiting for permission before starting to magic the mess away. "Do not be worryings about it!"

"But Fury said we had to tidy up after ourselves," Tony protested, earning a mischievous grin from the elf in front of him.

"What Headmaster Fury is not knowing will not be hurting him," she replied cheekily. Tony laughed, offering a hand to high-five the elf, glad when she responded.

"Awesome, you guys are the best. And thank Kizzy and the others for the cake, will you? Best thing I've ever tasted, I swear," he said emphatically. The elf saluted, grinning widely, and went to help her friends in tidying. "Well, that's that covered," Tony mused, turning back to his friends. Thor and Loki had finally stopped sucking face, though were still giving each other moon-eyes. "Seriously, I'm happy for them, but do we need to throw water over them or something?" he asked, making Sif snort.

"Not quite, don't fret," she assured him, wandering over to smack them both around the head, drawing their attention. "Would you mind taking this elsewhere so the elves can clean the hall? The party has ended, and it's time for both of you to go to bed. Whose bed, I do not care, but please spare me the details." Both Thor and Loki flushed, and Sif's stern expression made way for a smile as she leaned in to kiss their foreheads in turn. "Goodnight, my daft boys. Sleep well." She turned to leave, and Loki slipped off Thor's lap, both of them getting to their feet.

"Wait, we shall walk with you," Thor told her, fingers twining with the Slytherin's. "Goodnight, friends. And many happy returns again, Tony. The celebration was most enjoyable."

"You're welcome, big guy. See you Monday," Tony replied with a smile. After the three left for Gryffindor, Tony waved to the DJ as the man left with his briefcase full of equipment, heading over to lean against the edge of the table that Pepper was rapidly clearing of presents. "I know that Clint and Phil went okay, Jane and Peggy went with their guys, Fandral left with some Hufflepuff guy that he definitely did not arrive with, and Hogun and Volstagg went up after Hogun nearly puked, but did the others head out okay? Darcy and Tasha, and Bucky?" They were the only three that Tony hadn't personally seen leave, and the castle was a big place.

"Tasha left with Maria and a couple of others on the team about twenty minutes ago," Pepper assured him, placing the last present in the box and topping it with a stack of cards.

"And I know Bucky walked Darce back to Hufflepuff before heading off with one of his girls for the night," Rhodey piped up. Tony smiled, placated at the confirmation that everyone was back to the dorms safe. "Come on, Pep. Let's leave these three to the rest of their night and head to bed; you've more than earned it," the younger boy urged the redhead, arm falling over her shoulders. She let out a tired sigh, leaning briefly into his shoulder, then nodded.

"Sure thing, Rhodey. Goodnight, boys. We'll see you on Monday, though if you think you can emerge for dinner tomorrow, please do so," she added playfully, moving to hug Tony goodnight and then do the same to Bruce and Steve.

"G'night, Pep. Thanks for everything," Tony said for what had to be the hundredth time, making her smile. They left the box of presents for Tony and made off for Hufflepuff, Pepper's heels hanging from one hand and her arm looped through Rhodey's. Tony turned to Steve and Bruce, a smirk tugging at his lip.

"Well, now the party's over, the second part of my birthday extravaganza begins," he drawled, letting Steve brush past him to pick up the box.

"Let's get back to the dorm before you start tearing our clothes off, Tony," Bruce teased, running a hand through his sweat-damp curls. Tony's smirk widened, and the threesome left the house elves to their work, starting the long trek up to Ravenclaw tower. Steve set down the box of presents by the desk in the dorm to be perused in the morning, eyes darkening with lust as Tony stripped off his shirt as soon as the door was shut, kicking off his shoes and heading towards the bed.

"Just a little fun before we get some sleep," the Gryffindor bartered, undoing the fly of his jeans and watching Bruce shimmy his own off his hips. "We'll need our energy for tomorrow." Tony gave him a catlike grin, beckoning them both towards the bed with the hand that wasn't pushing his boxers down his thighs.

"You bet we will, gorgeous. But I assure you, if you think we won't have energy, then you _deeply_ underestimate all three of us." Steve hummed against Tony's lips as they kissed, arching in pleasure as Bruce's hands ran over his chest.

"Super-serum," he pointed out breathlessly, eyes flashing mischievously. "I'll have the energy, but you two might not." Tony growled, looking over Steve's shoulder to meet Bruce's affronted gaze.

"Challenge accepted, blondie," he muttered, not wasting any time in shoving a hand down Steve's boxers. The youngest of the three grinned as he bucked into the touch, and Tony smirked, proud of his boyfriend for his manipulation tactic, even if it was awfully transparent. So long as it meant more sex for all three of them, he didn't really care.


	53. Y6: Becoming Real

_**Title:**__ Becoming Real_  
_**Summary:**__ Bucky stumbles across the secret Tasha has been keeping, and suddenly it's not a secret anymore_  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3151_  
_**Pairings:**__ Tasha/Hill, Clint/Coulson_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

Natasha ran her fingers through her hair, checking in her bedroom mirror that it was sitting properly, then grabbed her jacket and ducked out of the dorm room, heading down the long corridor towards the common room. It was long past dinner, and the Slytherin common room was buzzing with chatter and music; for all that they portrayed themselves as cold, marble statues outside of Slytherin house, the majority were actually capable of normal human interaction.

Walking near-soundlessly towards the exit, Natasha glanced around surreptitiously, wanting to make sure she wasn't being watched. Sure the coast was clear, she slipped around a group of third years entering the common room, freezing in her tracks when her name was called. "It's awfully late to be going out for a wander. I thought Clint was spending the evening with Phil, as he is off duty for once." Loki, of course. The younger Slytherin was curled up in an armchair that only he ever seemed to occupy, a book balanced on his lap. His expression wasn't accusing, merely curious, but Tasha cursed silently all the same.

"Quidditch practice," she replied automatically, giving him the same excuse she often gave Clint and the others. The dark-haired boy raised an eyebrow at her.

"When the season has ended? Without your broom?" he drawled pointedly. She opened her mouth to argue, but no sound came out, and he smirked. "I thought so. I'll keep your secrets, Natasha," he assured her simply. "But considering our friends, you should really think about owning up to whatever it is you're hiding. I know Clint is aware that you're up to something." Tasha's lips pursed; she hadn't thought Clint had caught on yet.

"Thanks. I'll… think about it." As much as she wanted to tell her friends, it wasn't only her decision to make. Loki nodded in acceptance, smirk turning into a half-smile.

"Have a good evening," he said cordially, before looking back down at his book. Natasha shrugged, leaving the common room before he could change his mind and begin questioning her. She was late enough already.

Wrapping her scarf around her neck to ward off the evening chill, the redhead shoved her hands in her pockets and hurried through the corridors up to the entrance hall, taking a couple of shortcuts on the way. She only passed two or three other students, and a glance at her watch made her wince; she was so _very_ late. Hopefully she would be forgiven.

Slipping through the entrance hall doors, she made a beeline towards the quidditch pitch, smiling to herself at seeing a few people walking out by the lake, all in pairs. Clearly couples trying to make 'date night' as romantic as possible when you were stuck on grounds for the majority of the school term. That was, in her opinion, one of the worst things about boarding at Hogwarts; it was hard to take someone out on a date when the only places available were the lake and Hogsmeade. Especially considering there was not enough money in the world to make her willingly step foot in Madame Puddifoot's.

A smile tugged at her lips as she grew close to the stands, and she picked up her pace. Focused on her destination, she didn't notice as one half of a couple by the lake glanced over, his eyes catching on her form and narrowing suspiciously.

.-.-.

Bucky regretted a lot of things in life. Drinking so much at Tony's birthday party was one; agreeing to date this girl was definitely another. He wasn't even completely sure of her name — Jessica? Jennifer? Jean? Something beginning with a J, he was sure — but she had literally not stopped talking the entire hour and a half he had been in her company. He'd already tried kissing her to shut her up, but she'd gone from zero to sixty in half a second by grabbing at his crotch almost the second his lips touched hers. And really, anyone who thought it was acceptable to squeeze a guy's dick _that_ hard was not getting any closer to his junk.

Nodding and humming as she stopped to breathe in the middle of her diatribe about how all her friends were going to be so totally jealous of her new hot boyfriend — since when was he her boyfriend? He hadn't agreed to that! — The Gryffindor boy looked around, desperately hunting for an escape route. Maybe he could slip his hand into his pocket and text Steve to help— no, of course, Steve was with Bruce and Tony. He'd probably turned his phone off by now, being one of those old-fashioned people who believed it was rude to text or call others when you were meant to be spending time with someone. Bucky thought it was really just because he didn't want his phone to go off in the middle of sex.

A flash of red caught his eye as he tried to rid himself of the mental image of the Stark/Rogers/Banner threeway, and his eyebrows shot up when he realised he recognised the girl walking quickly towards the quidditch pitch, dressed in all black but for a Slytherin scarf around her neck. What was Natasha doing out so late? "James?" He startled, attention snapping back towards his date, who apparently hadn't got the memo that the only people who actually called him James were his mother, Steve's mother and Headmaster Fury when he was pissed off. "It's getting a little cold out. Maybe we could take this… inside? I bet the Astronomy Tower has a great view tonight," she gushed, fluttering her eyelashes in a way that was probably meant to be seductive. He shuddered internally; there was no way in hell he'd be going to the Astronomy Tower with her.

"Oh, crap!" he exclaimed suddenly, gaze still flicking back to Natasha. "I just remembered, I didn't finish my Potions essay! Professor Pym is gonna skin me alive and use me for ingredients if I don't have something to hand in tomorrow!" Whatever-her-name-was pouted, folding her arms over her chest in a way that accentuated her cleavage. Bucky glanced down out of habit, but the greatest breasts in the world couldn't make him want to get naked with her after the way she'd grabbed his junk.

"Aww. Can't it wait? You can do it at lunch tomorrow, or something," she simpered, resting a hand on his arm. He shook his head, managing an apologetic smile.

"Potions is my first class," he told her, glad he didn't actually have to lie about that part. "I'm really sorry, but I'm already on thin ice with Pym as it is. Maybe another time?" If he shook her off now, he could no doubt keep avoiding her and making excuses until she gave up. He was a pro at it by now. Besides, with any luck, she'd go back to her friends and gush about the amazing sex they had, not wanting to look like the one girl Bucky Barnes wouldn't sleep with. So what if he was taking a leaf out of Tony's pre-Bruce-and-Steve book?

"Oh, of course! Maybe we can go out next Hogsmeade weekend, or something," the girl agreed, face brightening. Bucky shrugged, stepping away from her, watching as Natasha disappeared out of sight.

"Yeah, whatever. I've got to go, goodnight!" Not even trying to look like he was heading back to the castle, he darted off towards the pitch, ignoring the girl he left stood by the lakebed. He honestly didn't care if she told everyone he was a terrible person and abandoned her mid-date; it wouldn't deter half the girls intent on sleeping with him, he knew.

Slowing down as he drew closer to the pitch, he tiptoed forward as silently as possible, getting closer to the spot where he'd lost sight of Natasha. He knew this area of the stands well; it was a popular spot for couples who didn't want to be found, usually used only by quidditch players and their significant others; very few other people knew it existed. He wondered who Natasha could be meeting there, and why this was the first he'd heard of it. No one ever managed to keep secrets in their group, even those involving people outside the group. Peggy had tried to keep her boyfriend secret, and had lasted all of three days before Thor overheard something and told the rest of them. Then again, Natasha was a crazy Russian spy during her summer vacations. Secrecy was kind-of her thing.

He edged close enough to hear a voice, but it was Natasha's, and didn't give away anything about her partner. "Sorry I'm late. My roommates stuck around for ages; I was sure they would never leave," she was saying, and there was a quiet chuckle that definitely belonged to a female. That answered one question, then.

At the unmistakable sound of kissing, Bucky's heartbeat quickened; there was only one thing for it, he'd have to look and see. Whoever Natasha was with, she spoke quietly enough that Bucky couldn't quite make out who it was. Edging closer to the support beam of the stand, he took a deep breath and slipped his phone from his pocket, turning it to camera and carefully holding it out to peer around the beam, tilting it until his screen showed Natasha's face, up close to her mystery partner's… which wasn't so much of a mystery anymore.

Bucky's jaw dropped at the sight of Maria Hill smiling softly at Natasha, one hand tangled in red tresses. She breathed something that made Natasha grin, and then they were kissing, leaning into one another with the air of people who had kissed a thousand times before, Natasha's hand settling on Maria's hip somewhere in the shadows. Instinctively, Bucky pressed down on the capture button, glad for the superior processor on his Starkphone that meant he didn't need to use the flash. Pulling his phone back, he didn't linger much longer; Natasha would actually castrate him if she caught him spying on her, and Hill would probably help. Barely breathing until he was a good distance from the pitch, he shook his head, chuckling to himself. "Tasha and Hill, huh?" he muttered under his breath, smiling wryly. "Who knew?" Glancing down at his phone, he brought the picture up, impressed at how well it had come out despite the dim lighting. That was… really, really hot, actually. "Damn." Staring at it a little longer, he cursed when he saw the time; Peggy would kill him if he wasn't back before curfew. He picked up his pace, shoving his phone back in his pocket, and made a mental note to ask Clint how long Tasha and Maria had been a thing.

.-.-.

Absently sharpening her knife with a smile on her face, Tasha leant back against the wall of one of 'their' hidden rooms. Back in first year, she and Clint had divided up all the hidden rooms they'd found, claiming some for themselves and leaving others as neutral territory for both of them. As far as the Slytherin was aware, Clint was the only other person to know that the room she was in even existed, so she was fairly comfortable she wouldn't be caught off-guard. Having designated rooms allowed her to store her weapons safely in the school; the ones that wouldn't fit nicely in her dorm room or on her person, that was.

She tensed at the sound of footsteps by the door, but quickly relaxed upon recognising the familiar cadence of Clint's walk. Not looking up when the Hufflepuff entered, she wasn't surprised when he unhooked his bow from his shoulder and moved to set up in front of the target at the other end of the room. He didn't say anything, settling into a rhythm of loosing and firing arrows, and they reappeared in his quiver with a short command — Tony's work. Glancing up briefly, Natasha frowned at the tension in her friend's shoulders; something was bothering him. Still, she didn't speak, trusting him to breach the subject with her when he was ready.

Tasha didn't have to wait long, the click-thwip-thud rhythm of her friend's arrows not slowing as he finally opened his mouth. "You could have told me, y'know?" Her brows furrowed; what the hell was he talking about? "I mean, I could understand not wanting the others know — I love them, but they're kind-of nosy assholes — but… damn it, Nat, I'm your best friend. Best friends don't keep these kinds of secrets, and to find out from _Bucky_, God."

"I really don't know what you're referring to," she cut in diplomatically, making him snort, the sound bitter.

"Right. Of course you don't. Because you're keeping more than one huge secret from me, right?" His gaze moved to her, arrows still flying to form perfect rings around the tiny bullseye — hitting the bullseye itself was too mundane for Clint. The Slytherin winced at the hurt in her friend's eyes, even as understanding dawned on her.

"You know about Maria," she said flatly, heart beginning to race. Shit! She'd thought she'd been okay, but if Bucky had found out… "How?"

"You weren't the only one out getting a little nookie last night," he informed her. "Buck was down by the lake with a girl he really didn't wanna be with, saw you heading down to the pitch and followed you. Look." Pausing in his shooting for a moment, he fished his phone out of his pocket, tapping something in and then tossing it to her. Natasha caught it easily, and visibly flinched at the picture filling the screen. How could she have been so careless that _Bucky Barnes_ could get a photo of her and Maria kissing?

"Shit, Clint. I wanted to tell you, I did!" she insisted hurriedly. "I just… didn't know how."

"Because 'hey, Clint, I'm dating Maria Hill' is clearly too complicated." He laughed harshly, shaking his head as he resumed his archery. "Is it because I've been spending so much time with Phil lately?" he asked, voice quiet and hurt, like a child. "I know I keep blowing you off to hang out with him, and I'm sorry, I really am, but I thought we were okay."

"We _are_ okay," Natasha assured. "This isn't your fault, Clint. It's mine. It has nothing to do with you spending time with Phil, I swear. It's just… secrets never stay secret in our group. Even if only one person knows, things still get out. Just look at what happened with Thor and Loki." The Slytherin boy had told Darcy about the progress between them in confidence, and within the week everyone in their friendship group knew of the real reason Thor and Jane split, and the new relationship between the adoptive brothers. Loki still wasn't talking to Darcy. "You said it yourself, our friends are nosy assholes. They're crazy at the best of times, and… I didn't want to introduce someone new until I was sure."

"You didn't have to introduce her!" Clint protested. "We all know who she is! It's not like dating one of us is an automatic pass into our friendship group; hell, we hardly see Peggy's boyfriend more than once a week!" Sighing, he recalled his arrows and shouldered his bow, moving to lean against the wall opposite Natasha. "So basically you didn't trust me not to tell anyone. Thanks, Tasha. Appreciate that." Natasha winced at the defeated tone of his voice, wishing she could reach out and squeeze his shoulder but knowing he'd only flinch away.

"It's not that, not at all," she murmured desperately. "Please, Clint, of course I trust you. But you can't tell me that if I'd told you, you wouldn't have encouraged me to tell the others. I can't… I don't want her to get close to my friends and end up with another Pepper situation, or Thor and Jane. As much as you say they didn't affect our group, you know that's a lie."

"That's different," Clint retorted immediately. "In all those situations, both people were part of the group before they started dating. Even if Maria became BFFs with the others, we'd all still be on your side if you guys broke up because you were here first, and we love you." He fiddled with his shoelace, gaze lowered to the floor, and Natasha bit her lip.

"I'm sorry. I was stupid, I… I wanted it to be just mine, just for a little while. Telling other people makes it real."

"Are you not ready for it to be real yet?" Clint asked, looking up at her with a raised eyebrow. Tasha shrugged, thoughtful.

"I think I am, now. I wasn't for a while, but I really like her. I think you would, too." She paused, smiling briefly at him. "You didn't really think I was pissed about you spending time with Phil, did you?" Clint's lips pursed, his expression turning sheepish, and Natasha rolled her eyes. "You idiot, of course I don't mind! He's your boyfriend, I'd be worried if you spent more time with me than him. And I know it'll only get worse next year with it being Phil's last, but we'll have the whole year after to hang out together and rule this school," she added with a grin, making him smile back. Setting her knife down, Tasha got to her feet, tentatively edging across the room to stand beside Clint with her back to the wall, her shoulder pressing against his. "If I ever have a problem with how much time you spend with him, I'll tell you. And I really am sorry." Clint let out a long breath, and shifted his arm to curl around her shoulders, pulling her into a half-hug.

"It's okay," he assured her, and Natasha felt like a weight had lifted from her shoulders. Of all the things in the world that could happen, Clint being mad at her was the one thing she absolutely couldn't stand. "And… y'know, Phil thinks Maria's pretty cool. I'm sure if you brought her to the next movie night, he'd make her feel welcome. And she already knows quite a few of them from prefect stuff." Maria was a shoe-in for Head Girl next year, and Natasha knew that she tried to keep a good relationship with each of her fellow prefects. Just… not the relationship she kept with Tasha.

"Yeah. Yeah, maybe," she murmured as she rested her head against Clint's chest, silently promising to bring it up to her sort-of girlfriend next time they were together. She wanted to be able to talk to her friends about her relationship. She wanted it to be_real_. Hopefully Maria would feel the same.


	54. Y6: Full Moon Rising

_**Title:**__ Full Moon Rising_  
_**Summary:**__ With the last member of the group finally making the animagus transformation, plans are made for the first moon as a group. Bruce, typically, worries._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3527_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony/Bruce, Clint/Coulson_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

They'd been waiting for a while now, but finally it was time. Though they wouldn't all join Bruce every full moon, they had agreed that the first time, the first moon Bruce spent with his friends in animagus form, they would all be there. It was a little frustrating, especially for Steve and Tony who had been able to transform for a while and yet still had to watch Bruce go down to the shack alone every month, but he assured them he didn't mind. Tony had given him the cure — a cure that was now one step away from being publicly mass-produced by Stark Industries — and it really did stop all his problems save the actual transformation itself. The only pain he had afterwards was the muscle ache from pacing all night, and the only discomfort was the boredom of being cooped up. Even tamed by potions, the wolf inside him was meant to run free; hopefully, with everyone with him to keep him in check, he would finally be able to grant that wish. Darcy had made her transformation, which meant that every single one of them could now comfortably maintain their animagus form.

They had all been together when the Hufflepuff girl had told them. Bursting into the middle of the Room of Requirement, she hadn't said a word before closing her eyes and becoming a fox, gambolling proudly up to Bruce, who had beamed at her and scratched her ears. Immediately after she had transformed back, plans were made for the next moon, two and a half weeks away.

The two and a half weeks dragged by for Bruce, who couldn't help but worry that something would go wrong and they would all end up in trouble. "Relax, babe," Tony murmured when he voiced his thoughts, the night before the first moon night. "Everything's going to be fine. All the beta tests on cured werewolves have shown them having no problems with control." Bruce frowned up at his boyfriend, even as larger fingers — Steve's fingers — ran through his hair soothingly.

"Yeah, but the beta test potions are far, far more advanced than the one you made me. I took the prototype, there might be some kinks in it," he fretted.

"Bruce, even if your control isn't solid, there are enough of us to keep you under control and get you back in the shack. Hell, Phil's an elk, and Thor's a bear. I know your wolf is huge, but they're bigger. We've practiced for this, don't worry. It'll be fun," Steve assured, his voice low and calming. It was true; the group had spent a lot of time down at the shack running through drills on what to do if Bruce went rogue wolf, usually using Steve or Rhodey as the 'wolf' as they were closest in size.

"Anything that starts with 'don't worry, it'll be fun' tends to end in chaos around here," Bruce retorted dubiously, making Tony snort and pull him into a kiss.

"No chaos this time, promise. Just think how awesome it'll be to have people to run with all night. You'll probably feel better for it, too; getting the exercise the wolf wants," he reasoned. "Now calm down and let us cuddle you until we fall asleep, damn it. Steve has to be up early in the morning for the stupid NEWT selection thing," he added with a mock-grumble, making the Gryffindor stifle a smile.

"I can't skip out on it, Tony. They didn't even let you do that," he pointed out as the three of them settled down for sleep, Bruce in the middle for once. He usually stuck to the edge, with either Steve or Tony in the middle, but the other two boys had decided he needed the comfort.

"I know, I know. But it's so stupid; you already know what you're picking," Tony muttered, scowling faintly. Unlike most of his yearmates, Steve had a clear idea of the NEWTs he wanted to take; all the ones that would get him into the Auror Department. As much as he loved art… he liked the idea of helping people.

"I thought you said we were going to sleep?" Bruce cut in, amused. Tony rolled his eyes at his fellow Ravenclaw, leaning in for a long kiss.

"We are. Goodnight gorgeous, I love you. Love you, blondie," he added with a smile, turning his head to meet Steve's lips over Bruce's form, smirking at the pleased hum Bruce made at watching them kiss.

"Mm, love you both," Bruce murmured, after Steve had turned to kiss him. "And thanks for this. For everything, really."

"Bruce, honeybear, we love you. All this stuff is kinda in the job description," Tony pointed out. "Now go to sleep, you'll need it." Bruce sighed, turning to let his face tuck into Tony's neck as Steve spooned him from behind, nose pressed to the juncture of Bruce's neck and shoulder. Warm, sleepy and surrounded by comforting scents, Bruce fell asleep with the wolf practically purring in his mind, eager to finally run free the next night.

.-.-.

As per routine, Bruce went up to meet Healer McCoy in the hospital wing a little after dinner, kissing Steve and Tony goodbye and trying not to look too nervous. As far as McCoy was concerned, this moon was no different to any other.

They walked down to the shack together, McCoy freezing the tree long enough for Bruce to get to the tunnel, assuring the teen that he'd be back in the morning to pick him up. Bruce let out a long breath when he was finally alone, continuing down the familiar tunnel and into the shack, heading for the living room. It was battered and broken from his earlier days, but he hadn't damaged anything since the cure. Glancing through the crack in the boards that showed him the sky, he swallowed convulsively as the sun set lower and lower. Despite knowing it wouldn't hurt, knowing everything would be fine and he'd be in control… the sight of the sun setting on a full moon night still sent him almost into a panic attack. He shook his head firmly and tried to take deep breaths, moving away to start stripping off his clothes, leaving them with his wand in the warded box on the shelf. Naked, he moved to the blanket laid in the centre of the room, resting his hands on his knees and closing his eyes, feeling the pull of the moon grow stronger and stronger. He just hoped everything went okay.

.-.

Lurking in the shadows and watching Healer McCoy headed back up to the castle, the large group of teens shared nervous looks, huddled close to ward off the evening chill. "Now we wait?" Bucky asked, and Steve nodded.

"Now we wait. Bruce said he'd howl when he's ready," he replied, even though all of them knew the plan. Leaning into Tony's side, the blonde frowned in concern, eyes fixed on the whomping willow. At the end of that tunnel, their Bruce was getting ready for the exhausting transformation that, despite the cure, still wasn't exactly a bed of roses.

"He'll be okay," Tony assured, squeezing his hand. "We'll go in and see him soon." They waited and waited, the nerves high amongst them, until eventually it was dark and the moon began to crest over the top of the Forbidden Forest. Steve held Tony tighter as he tried not to imagine Bruce's body morphing and shifting, reminding himself like a mantra that it was painless now, and he wasn't screaming.

There was a long howl that echoed in the still night, and the group immediately jumped to their feet, getting to work. Pepper's eyes fluttered shut, and the next moment there was a red squirrel where she had been standing, which bounded over to the whomping willow, ducking and dodging the flailing branches to get close enough to press the knot at the base, freezing it. "We're up," Tony murmured, tugging Steve forward. As the only two canines in the group, as well as scents Bruce's wolf was intimately familiar with, they had been elected as the welcoming committee, so to speak. Steve nodded and sent his mind into the familiar state with which to access his animal form, smoothly dropping down onto four paws. Briefly snuffling Tony's neck, he led the way to the tunnel under the willow, meeting Pepper's wide brown eyes on his way through.

The tunnel was dry and smelled like wolf and Bruce and McCoy and rabbits, and Steve had to ignore his animal instinct to start sniffing all over, sensing Tony trotting along behind him. It was a long tunnel, and they travelled it as quickly as possible, not wanting to keep Bruce waiting. He could tell when they were close, as the scent of wolf grew stronger, and sure enough they reached a door, which Bruce had left unlocked. Jumping up to get the handle with his paw, Steve nudged it open, stepping through and shifting aside to let Tony in behind him. He whined low in his throat at his boyfriend, and Tony let out a soft rumble, nosing him lightly in assurance.

Letting the older boy go ahead, knowing that if there was anyone in the world Bruce's wolf would recognise it would be Tony, Steve followed apprehensively, trying not to imagine worst-case scenarios. Bruce had told them he'd be in the living room, so the two of them padded up the stairs, following the scent of their lover's wolf form. Steve's heart was pounding, and he knew Bruce probably knew they were there by now; he'd probably known when they were out in the tunnel.

Hearing a soft yip, Steve looked up, a doggy grin spreading across his lips when he and Tony froze in the doorway to see a familiar wolf stood in the middle of the room, excitement in his eyes and tail wagging frantically. He barked twice, their signal that yes, Bruce was in control, and Steve growled playfully back at him, edging forward. Tony had no such hesitation, taking a flying leap towards the much larger canine and barreling into his side, barely even shifting him. Bruce let out a bark that Steve knew to be a laugh, nudging at Tony's head with his snout and licking at his ear. Tony glanced over to Steve, giving an impatient whine, and Steve bounded forward to join in the huddle, knocking Bruce to the floor and nuzzling his side playfully. The three of them wrestled lightly for a couple of minutes, before Steve remembered that the others would be waiting for them.

Crawling out of the pile of fur and limbs, he barked quietly and jerked his head towards the door, giving a pointed growl. Tony actually _pouted_, but got off of Bruce and nudged the wolf to his feet, bounding back and forth in a clear invitation to play. Bruce fixed the coyote with a fondly exasperated look, one ear twitching, and jerked his head to Steve to prompt him into leading the way back up to the tunnel. Relief and excitement flooding him now that they were sure Bruce reacted okay, Steve walked quickly through the tunnel, tail wagging and body just itching to run. He hadn't been able to properly get out in animal form for a while, as they had been so busy with other things and it was hard to find a time where he wouldn't be missed. With exams merely weeks away, he thought it would be good for all of them to get the chance to let off some steam and have some fun before knuckling down properly.

There was something oddly freeing about being in animal form; animals felt emotions differently, and it was like all of Steve's little worries and problems just became completely insignificant. As far as his baser mind was concerned, he was getting to play with his friends, and that was awesome.

His ears pricked as he caught the scent of fresh air, and all three of them picked up the pace. Bruce was practically vibrating with excitement, making Steve grin to himself; the wolf had never been outside before. He deserved it. Bounding up to the lip of the tunnel, he barked to warn the others they were coming, pausing briefly to give anyone who wasn't transformed a chance to do so, then burst from the tunnel and onto the grass, heading away from the willow before it could reanimate. Bruce followed behind him with Tony bringing up the rear, and as soon as they were clear of the tree the wolf pounced on air, rolling in the grass and yipping happily when Tony tackled him again, the pair chasing tails and wrestling out in the open. Steve beamed, tongue lolling from his mouth, heart bursting with happiness at seeing his two lovers so happy and free. Maybe now Bruce could learn to love the wolf, like he and Tony hoped he would.

Barking at the pair to grab their attention, he jerked his head toward the assortment of animals waiting several feet away, eyeing the pair in amusement. Tony definitely rolled his eyes as he and Bruce got to their feet, trotting over. With Steve and Tony either side of him in case anything went wrong, each of their friends moved forward in turn, allowing Bruce to sniff them so the wolf could match their scents with the human packmembers they were. The only one that was hard was Natasha, her form being so small, but she had spun a web between Phil's antlers and seemed perfectly comfortable there, the elk ducking his head low so the wolf could scent out the spider.

Tony bumped Bruce's shoulder, giving him an inquiring look, and the wolf ducked his head briefly, letting out a soft whine to assure them he was still in control. Grinning, Tony gave a play-bow in challenge, then darted off into the forest, taunting Bruce into chasing after him. Steve huffed, sharing a long-suffering look with Peggy, and the pair of them bounded after the two canines, the pounding of several types of feet behind them assuring him that the others were following. They had planned for this, too, knowing that the wolf would want to run. In their game of chase, Tony would lead Bruce to a clearing in the forest they had scoped out, so the bigger animals amongst them could join in the chase and have somewhere to return to, and the smaller animals could hang out there and wait until they grew bored.

He heard a screech overhead, and glanced up as he ran to see Clint and Bucky swooping and diving around each other, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Picking up his pace, Steve scented out Bruce and Tony a little way off to his left, veering off course to go chase after them and trusting everyone who wanted to go knew where the clearing was. He heard Peggy, Rhodey and Thor following him, and ran even faster, grinning at the satisfying burn of muscles he didn't ordinarily use. Running as a dog was more of a workout than anything he could do as a human.

He leapt over a fallen tree and used it to spring forward, landing on Bruce and sending them both sprawling to the floor, playfully mouthing at the wolf's neck scruff in a gesture of victory. The wolf growled, no real danger in the sound, and flipped them until Steve was pinned underneath him. Recognising the look in the other canine's eyes, Steve laid as still as he could and easily bared his neck in submission; if Bruce needed to be alpha wolf of their pack, that wasn't a problem by him. He could feel Tony and the others watching them, but hoped they realised he wasn't in any real danger as the wolf held its teeth over Steve's shaggy throat, closing down only enough to put a slight pressure on without breaking the skin. Whining quietly to show his acceptance of the position, Steve waited, lips pulling in a grin when Bruce moved back to lick his muzzle instead, yipping happily. He clambered off Steve and nudged him impatiently to his feet, bouncing to start the chase once more. Tony barked, setting off into the trees, and together Steve and Bruce hared after him, the other three running along behind at a more sedate pace. Thor could probably take all of them out if he wanted to, but the gentle giant was happy to gambol along in his bear form, following his friends.

Eventually they reached the clearing, Bruce pouncing on Tony to drag him into another wrestling match, and Steve looked around to see what the rest of his friends were up to. Darcy, Jane, Volstagg and Hogun were quite happily having their own little game of chase, racing around each other with their tails tangling and long bodies squirming to evade the others. Pepper and Sif were watching from the sidelines, neither particularly wanting to get stepped on by the larger animals. Fandral was quite happily resting under a tree, and a closer look showed Natasha perched on his head. Fandral wasn't really in the form to play about, so Tasha was safest with him.

Clint and Bucky seemed to be attempting to build a nest in Phil's antlers, the enormous elk indulging them with an amused expression on his face. Turning back to the group he'd arrived with, Steve barked out a laugh at seeing Tony perched on Thor's broad shoulders, grinning triumphantly at Bruce, who seemed to be figuring out a way to get at the coyote without injuring the bear. Peggy and Rhodey had gone over to the shade of the tree to watch Darcy and the others, the fox clearly winning in their little game. Steve had no idea what time it was, but knew it was probably well into the night; they'd been running for a while now.

Trotting forward, he nudged at Bruce to challenge him, jerking his head towards the forest trails once more. Bruce smirked competitively, and Steve shot off into the darkness, snorting to himself at the whine-thud that meant Tony was indignant at being ignored, and had probably just fallen off Thor in his attempt to join them. Running harder and trying to ignore all the interesting scents around him, Steve let himself relax into the chase, forgetting about everything and everyone outside of their pack. He could get used to this.

.-.-.

Eventually, the three of them grew tired, and Steve grew fed up of having to nudge Tony away from his back end — for the last time, damn it, he was _not_ interested in having sex in animal form — and they rejoined their friends in the clearing. They all seemed to have reached a similar state of exhaustion, lounging around and occasionally batting halfheartedly at one another, not really interested in starting up another game. Rhodey's head rose when he saw them, and Steve growled assuringly at him, the sound morphing into a yawn halfway through. A small nose nudged his left shoulder, and a much larger one nuzzled his right, Tony and Bruce both getting his attention. Obeying, Steve sprawled out on the ground and snuggled up close to Bruce, Tony curling in on the wolf's other side. The others followed suit, forming smaller puppy-piles that dotted about the room, Clint hopping up off Phil's back from where he was grooming him and perching on an antler, tucking his head into his chest. The smaller animals all used Thor as a mattress, curling up in the soft fur until the bear was half-buried under a pile of animals. Fandral and Tasha were still under their tree, Peggy and Rhodey were lying together near the edge of the clearing, evidently poised to attack should they be stumbled upon by someone, and looking up Steve saw Bucky perched in a nearby tree, watching carefully.

Confident that everyone was safe, Steve turned back to his own small puppy pile, eyes softening a little when he saw Bruce was doing the exact same thing; making sure each member of his pack was where he could see them. Tony whined at both of them, and Steve snuffed out a chuckle, eyes meeting Bruce's fond ones. The wolf leaned in to lick his muzzle in gratitude, turning to do the same to Tony. Steve nuzzled and licked him back, cuddling as close as all three of them could, trying to express with actions what they couldn't say in words. Like every other emotion in his animal form, Steve's love for Bruce and Tony was simplified; it was so _easy, _nothing in the world mattered except for the wolf and the coyote laying with him. In a few hours, they'd have to get Bruce back to the shack for the sun to rise, but for now it was nothing but them, their pack and the forest around them. Steve rather thought he could get used to full moon nights.


	55. Y6: Final Countdown

_**Title:**__ Final Countdown_  
_**Summary:**__ For once, the eldest year are the smug ones, as their younger friends prepare for their OWLs. Phil decides Clint needs a little private time to take his mind off things._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3481_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony/Bruce, Clint/Coulson, Tasha/Hill, Thor/Loki_  
_**Year:**__ Six_

* * *

As much as they liked to pretend otherwise, none of them could avoid the inevitable fact that exams were rapidly approaching. The eldest of the group were hardly bothered with them — their exams were merely end-of-years, with no real impact to their actual NEWT grades — but the fifth years were regretting all times they had teased their older friends the year before about overreacting. Their OWLs were upon them, and none of them felt ready.

For the few weeks before exams, they all gathered to study in the Room of Requirement in just about any free time they had, using the group to encourage each other into continuing and quiz one another on subjects. They had a collection of notes from their older friends' own OWL revision files — mostly thanks to Pepper, who was an absolute godsend to more than just Tony Stark — which made revising a lot easier, but there was still a lot to remember in a short space of time, and it was starting to drive them all insane.

.-.

Having long ago been banished from the Room of Requirement after being deemed 'distracting', the eldest and youngest of the group mostly hung out in Ravenclaw Tower for their own revision. None of the other Ravenclaws really minded, being far too absorbed in their own work, and Tony and Bruce offered the use of their dorm as a hangout since they clearly weren't going to be having Steve in there. "Ugh, I'm so_bored_," Tony whined, burying his face in Bruce's shoulder. "I know all this stuff, I have known it since first year, why the hell do I need to study it?"

"Because you need to be reminded of what is actually on the curriculum," Pepper pointed out for the hundredth time, rolling her eyes when Bruce's fingers began carding through Tony's hair. "And because you, unlike the rest of us, actually have real NEWT exams this year. There's no way in hell I'd let you not study for those." Tony was testing out of a couple of subjects in order to continue with his increased workload. Anyone else would have buckled long ago under the pressure, but, well, Tony Stark.

"Come on, Pep; the reason I'm taking those exams early is because they're ones I could do in my sleep," Tony pointed out with a raised eyebrow, leaning into Bruce's hand. "God, I hate exam time. Steve has been stressing like crazy."

"Clint's hardly been able to sleep," Phil agreed, frowning slightly. "I swear we were never this bad last year."

"Not that bad? Darcy repeated with a snort, amused. "You guys were way worse. Kept telling us all about how we couldn't possibly understand because we'd not experienced real exams. It was a nightmare."

"Oh, shut up, Lewis, it's your turn next year. You too, Loki," Tony added to the Slytherin, who was on the floor with his feet propped in Thor's lap, a Charms book laying abandoned beside him.

"That won't matter, will it?" he pointed out dryly. "When we have OWLs, you'll all have NEWTs, so you'll have far more on your plates than us." Tony cursed under his breath; he hadn't thought about that.

"Merlin, don't remind me," Maria groaned, shaking her head. She'd slipped into their group fairly easily now it was exam time, commiserating with Phil, Peggy, Tony and Bruce about having their significant other lost to exam revision. Peggy's boyfriend was in the year above, so was stressing over his NEWTs and graduation. "We still have to sort through all that crap." She gestured to the stack of job pamphlets lying abandoned on the desk in the corner of the room, eyeing them with distaste.

"Don't even start on that pile of crap," Phil muttered with a frown.

"It's so ridiculous for Selvig to expect me to participate in the 'life after Hogwarts' preparation lectures. I mean, hell, I wonder what _Tony Stark_ could possibly be doing after graduation," Tony said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Because clearly he couldn't possibly be going to work at the business he is _already running_." They all rolled their eyes at his words, having heard the same thing several times since the lectures were announced. "Hell, I don't even know why they're making Pepper go. Or Bruce and Jane." Several eyebrows rose from that, and half the room turned to look at Jane in surprise.

"I thought you were going for a Charms mastery?" Peggy asked, and Jane shrugged, smiling slightly.

"The head of SI's spellcrafting department has agreed to take me on as an apprentice, so Tony offered to pay me as a research assistant while I'm learning there," she explained. "So the lectures are kinda a waste of time for me, too." If they were honest, the lectures were a waste of time for all of them; they all knew exactly what they wanted to do after school, and it was just a matter of applying and getting accepted. Even financially, it wasn't so much a problem, since Tony had offered his many guest rooms to any of them for as long as they might need. The plan was to move into Tony's London home until they could all save up enough money for apartments of their own. Though Bruce would, of course, be moving in permanently. The only ones who wouldn't be living with them would be Thor, Volstagg, Fandral and Hogun, who all had family homes of their own to take over.

"Wow, that's awesome," Darcy said with a grin, holding out a fist for Jane to bump. "You go, girl!" Jane flushed as several others congratulated her, and Tony shot her a grin.

"Regardless of your feelings on the lectures," Peggy piped up. "And believe me, I know exactly how you feel. But you still need NEWTs, regardless of your plans, so you could at least attempt to look like you're studying." It was said mostly to Tony, but included the rest of the room, and there were mutters and grumbles as each of them got back to work, thinking longingly of the summer, so close they could almost taste freedom.

.-.-.

The Room of Requirement wasn't quite so relaxed, though they were also ignoring a stack of pamphlets; the NEWT subject pamphlets, to be precise. They all had to turn in their class choices by the end of the week, and yet none of them had actually filled them out. Most of them knew what they wanted to take, but just hadn't got around to it yet. They had time.

"Ugh, I think my brain is melting," Clint declared, scowling at his Herbology textbook. "The hell do we need so many plants for, anyway?"

"Potions," Rhodey pointed out, holding up his Potions textbook pointedly. "But damn, a few less of both would make my workload so much lighter."

"Quit whining, it's not that bad," Tasha cut in, rolling her eyes at them both. "Merlin, Bruce's handwriting is terrible. Steve, what does that say?" She held the notes she was reading over to the blonde, pointing out a word, and Steve squinted at it, used to his boyfriend's indecipherable scrawl.

"I'm… not actually sure. It looks like it maybe says circumstance? I mean, I assume it's not circum_cise,_ so…" Natasha snorted, taking the notes back.

"No, no, I'm not writing about circumcision. Thanks." She moved to scrawl something down in her own notebook, and Bucky huffed.

"I cannot wait until these are over," he mused wistfully. "Eight and a half weeks of sun and sleeping late and doing absolutely nothing at all."

"Speak for yourself," Clint retorted, smirking. "We're not all lazy asses around here." Bucky glared indignantly, and Steve couldn't help but snicker at his friend.

"Oh, don't you start, solider. You're bringing Bruce and Tony home to your Mom, you need me on your side," Bucky reminded pointedly, making Steve gulp. He'd made the decision less than a week ago, and Bucky hadn't shut up about it. It was making him nervous. His Mom wouldn't mind that much that he had two boyfriends instead of one, surely? She liked Bruce, and she loved Tony. It would be fine.

"Stop it, Bucky, you're freaking him out," Tasha scolded, kicking the Gryffindor in the leg. "It'll be fine, Steve. No one could possibly doubt how much Bruce and Tony love you. Your Mother will be happy for you." Steve smiled at her, grateful, and she smiled back, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"What are your plans for the summer, Sif?" Steve asked the other Gryffindor, who glanced up. "I know about everyone else, but I don't think you said."

"My plans are nothing special," she replied, shrugging. "Home with my family, for the most part. I believe we're going to Italy with Fandral and his family, so no doubt I shall enjoy watching him attempt to woo the locals. His Italian is terrible," she added with a smirk. "But other than that, I shall just be relaxing."

"You'll have to come visit sometime," Steve said with a half-smile. "You could come to New York, or come stay at Tony's for a little while. Loads of people will be dropping in and out, it'll be fun." She grinned at him, nodding.

"I may well take you up on that offer," she agreed. "Though I fear if we don't concentrate on our work, I shall fail my OWLs, and then my parents shan't let me go anywhere." They all grimaced in unison, reaching for the material of whatever subject they happened to be studying.

"Don't forget, we gotta fill out the class sheets before tomorrow, we said we'd hand them in to Selvig next lesson," Clint remembered, lifting his wand to summon a pamphlet instead of wandering over to get one. The back page was the actual application sheet, and he tore it off carefully, ticking several boxes. He was just going for the core NEWTs plus Care of Magical Creatures; if all went well, he'd be accepting a job at Stark Industries as a weapons' tester straight out of Hogwarts, and possibly be going to join Natasha at the international agency her father ran. Apparently he had all the qualities of a good sniper and spy, except for the downfall of being unable to keep his mouth shut. He could work on that.

Slipping the completed form inside his Transfiguration textbook so he wouldn't forget, Clint went back to his Herbology work while the others filled out their own forms as quickly as he had. Despite having two more years to go, they were all pretty clear on where they wanted to go. Barring Clint and Tasha, everyone in the room was aspiring to join the Auror department, or the DMLE in some form. Clint had thought about it, but decided to pass; he wasn't great at teamwork, or trusting people.

When he reached the end of the chapter section in his book, Clint glanced at his watch and groaned softly to himself. "I think I'm gonna drag Phil out of Ravenclaw and get an early night," he announced, shutting his book. "There's no way in hell I'm awake enough to actually remember anything I read now."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Tasha agreed. "Give me a minute, I'll tag along and grab Maria." Clint looked up at Steve, who was already packing away his books.

"I'm staying in Ravenclaw tonight anyway, I'll come with you," he confirmed, making Clint smirk. He didn't think there was a day anymore where Steve _wasn't_ staying in Ravenclaw. Graduation was going to tear him to pieces, same as it would Clint. But they had a while to think about that yet.

"Well if you guys are giving up, there's no way I'm staying here," Bucky declared, letting his notes drop to his lap. "Sif, you calling it a night too?"

"I probably should," she agreed. "We can walk up together."

"Oh thank God, I can stop," Rhodey groaned in relief, head falling to the table. "I will be so glad when I can finally drop History of Magic." He got several emphatic nods of agreement from his friends; none of them were continuing the subject.

With all their books and notes back in their bags, the group said goodnight and went their separate ways, Clint walking with Steve and Natasha up to Ravenclaw to fetch their significant others. "I bet they've hardly done any work, smug bastards," the Hufflepuff muttered, frowning faintly.

"We were just as smug to them last year, don't deny it. And we can be the smug ones again next year," Steve pointed out lightly. "When even Darcy and Loki will have important exams."

"Merlin, yeah, they'll be in our positions, won't they," Clint mused, shaking his head. "God, it sucks to be Thor and Loki. Waiting one year without Phil is bad enough, but to wait two? I don't think I could stand it."

"You think they'll last the two years?" Natasha asked, making the archer snort.

"After all the trouble it took to get them together? They're endgame, Nat. They wouldn't be risking it if they weren't." All of them knew how bad Thor would have it from his father when he got home and his parents found out about him and Loki. Their plan was to keep it secret until Thor could move out and live in the family's London home, but plans rarely worked around them.

"Yeah, you're right. Those two are in it for the long haul, for sure," Steve agreed, pausing outside the Ravenclaw statue. Tasha was the first one to answer the riddle, and the three of them headed inside, no one in Ravenclaw even blinking at the three walking in without an escort. Really, house passwords were just a formality now.

"They're up in the dorm," one of the Ravenclaw boys in their year called to them, not even looking up from his books. Murmuring their thanks, the three made for the stairs up to the boys' dorms, knocking on Bruce and Tony's.

"It's just us," Clint said as he pushed the door open, offering a smile to Phil. "We gave up for the night, so I was hoping I might be able to persuade you to call it an early night." He slunk over, draping an arm across his boyfriend's shoulders and leaning in for a kiss.

"Persuaded, huh? I'm sure you could give it a try," Phil drawled in return, smirking. "Where are the others?"

"Went back to their dorms. Tasha and I came to get you and Maria, and, well, Steve basically lives here now." Steve didn't even blush, too busy kissing Tony hello, and Clint merely rolled his eyes. "So what do you say? Bed?"

"Sounds wonderful," Phil agreed, a glint in his eyes that confirmed to Clint that they'd be doing far more than just sleeping. "Let me just finish up here." Clint propped his chin on Phil's shoulder as the older boy finished his paragraph, looking up at the assembled group and smirking at Natasha twisting Maria's hair around her fingers while the brunette worked.

"How's it been going for you guys, anyway?" he asked curiously.

"Not particularly successfully," Pepper admitted, grimacing faintly. "But I think we're all good for the subject matter. And they're not important exams."

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in," he teased, rolling his eyes. Phil set down his quill and Clint kissed his cheek, grinning. "All right! Let's get out of here." Phil snorted, shoving his books haphazardly back into his bag. "We'll see you guys in the morning." By the looks of Steve, Tony and Bruce, the others would be getting kicked out fairly soon, so Clint dragged Phil to his feet and towards the door, twining their fingers together. Heading out of the Ravenclaw common room, Clint leaned into his boyfriend's side, shoulders slumped wearily. "Just two weeks," he murmured. "Two weeks and exams are over, then another week of slacking off before we're free."

"I can't wait," Phil replied with a smile. Phil would be spending at least part of the summer at the circus with Clint, somewhere he'd never been before. It was a huge step in their relationship, and they both pretended not to be nervous about it. "You okay?" His brow furrowed in concern, and Clint offered a smile.

"Yeah, just tired. It's been a long few weeks. I haven't studied so hard since the time I was trying to impress you," he added, making Phil grin at the memory, leaning in to kiss him.

"You're smart, Clint. You'll do just fine," he assured confidently. "Now come on, how about I take you back to the dorm and help you relax." Clint smirked slowly, arm winding around Phil's waist to kiss him deeper.

"I like the sound of that." They walked together, taking several shortcuts, and Phil was relieved to see that his dorm room was empty. Locking it — everyone was used to it by now, they'd make adjustments — he nudged Clint towards the bed, urging him to take off his shoes.

"Stay there just a second." He kneeled beside his trunk, reaching in for a little paper bag, and Clint peered over curiously.

"Massage oil?" the archer asked with raised eyebrows as Phil took the little bottle out of the bag.

"Yup. Strip down and lay on your front," Phil urged, tapping the bottle with his wand to warm it up some. As Clint did as asked, Phil conjured a towel to lay over his bedsheets so they didn't make a mess, the undressed until he was just in boxers. Clint trailed a hand down Phil's lithely muscled chest, and the older teen leant into it for just a moment, before directing Clint to the bed. He had to swallow tightly at the sight of his naked boyfriend all laid out for him; as much as he liked to pretend the massage was innocent, there was no way in hell it would end without some sort of mutual orgasm. "Comfortable?" Clint nodded, pulling the pillow closer to rest his head on it, and Phil trailed a hand down his back, unable to help himself. Kneeling on the edge of the bed, he reached for the oil and poured some into his hand, rubbing them together and getting to work.

Clint groaned lowly as soon as Phil began working on his tense shoulders, the sound going straight to the older boy's cock. "Damn, Phil. Always forget how good you are at these." Phil didn't give massages very often, and it was the first time he'd given Clint a full-body one, but it was a special occasion.

"Just relax, Clint. You need it," he urged softly, letting his fingers work the tight knots in his boyfriend's muscles. The angle was a little hard to work from, so Phil shuffled over to straddle the curve of Clint's bare ass, trying not to let it affect him too much.

"You happy to see me, baby?" Clint murmured smugly, pushing back a little into Phil's erection.

"Always," Phil replied with a grin, not even protesting the nickname. It was starting to grow on him a little. He kept working lower and lower until eventually he moved back to kneel beside his boyfriend and work on his legs, starting at the feet and working upwards.

"Oh, you tease," Clint muttered when Phil completely ignored his ass, shifting so his arousal wasn't pressing uncomfortably into the mattress.

"All in good time," Phil assured, grin widening. Clint's flesh shuddered under his touch when he reached the sensitive skin of his inner thighs, and Phil smirked to himself, pressing harder, still ignoring all the spots Clint desperately wanted him to touch. Finally he let his hands grasp the firm globes of Clint's ass, massaging the muscles, which were tense from trying not to rut against the bed.

"Merlin, you're killing me here," Clint whined. Phil finally gave in, patting his boyfriend gently on the leg and moving aside.

"Roll over," he urged, chuckling when Clint nearly flung himself off the bed in an effort to comply. He was painfully hard, and Phil got more massage oil on his hands, starting at the top of Clint's chest. Clint leaned up to sneak the smallest kiss, and Phil smiled into it, giving up on the massage completely in order to run his hands right down Clint's chest and stomach to grab his cock, leaving a trail of oil in his wake.

"Yes!" Clint hissed, arching up into the touch, eyes squeezing shut. Phil smirked, shifting to straddle his lap once more, whipping off his own boxers in the process and bringing the other Hufflepuff into a heated kiss. One day he might actually be able to give Clint a massage and actually finish it, but until then, he enjoyed the attempts.


	56. Y7: Thinking Ahead

_**Title:**__ Thinking Ahead_  
_**Summary:**__ The summer is drawing to a close, and Phil is already thinking about after graduation. Clint just wants to pretend it's not happening, but he can't argue with his boyfriend's plans._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2507_  
_**Pairings:**__ Clint/Coulson_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

The sun was low in the sky but the night was still warm, and Phil used the hem of his t-shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow, flushing as Clint wolf-whistled at the sight of his abs. "Oh, hush, you," he muttered, and the younger teen grinned, stepping in for a quick kiss.

"Can't help it, you're too sexy," he insisted, playfully squeezing Phil's ass. Phil had been at the circus with Clint for two weeks already, and would be staying until the very last few days of summer; his parents wanted him home to take him to the station for his last trip to Hogwarts. It was the first time he'd come to visit Clint in the summer — usually Clint came to Phil's, or they both stayed at Tony's — and it had definitely been a learning experience. Clint was so different in the circus, so much more comfortable in his own skin than he was at school. Usually Phil only saw him like that when they were alone together.

Seeing Clint perform was an eye-opener, too. He hadn't realised just how incredible Clint was with a bow until he'd seen his boyfriend stood blindfolded on a galloping horse, shooting flaming arrows at a girl holding a target on a trapeze. It was actually incredibly hot; especially as Clint's costume was a sleeveless lycra and leather ensemble and fit him incredibly well. The eyeliner helped, too. "Come on, hot stuff, you said you'd help me with the horses," Clint reminded, bumping Phil on the shoulder to snap him out of his thoughts. Phil smiled, obediently following Clint towards the stables.

"I know, sorry. I was just thinking about how amazing you were in the show tonight. And hoping they'll let you keep the costume even after you graduate," he added with a smirk, watching the archer blush.

"It was just a regular show, not like the Christmas one or anything," he mumbled bashfully. Phil kissed his cheek, giving him a look.

"You're insanely talented, Clint. You know you are." Clint merely shrugged, moving away to grab a bale of hay off the pile. Phil sighed to himself, reaching over the nearest stable door for the empty haynet. One day he'd get Clint to believe in his own abilities.

The pair of them worked silently to refill hay and water, checking the horses and pegasi over for the night. It was one of the jobs Phil was confident doing; his cousins had owned horses when he was younger. Everyone at the circus seemed to do something to help out around the place, even the younger kids, and Phil didn't want to be any different. He wanted them all to like him; they were the closest thing Clint had to family.

He bit his lip as his thoughts went to the same place they had been for most of the summer, and he glanced over at his boyfriend hesitantly, opening his mouth before closing it again. Surely it was too soon; he'd ask when they were back at Hogwarts. "Spit it out, Phil. You've had that look on your face for days now; what is it?" Clint asked, sounding slightly amused as he raised an eyebrow, one hand on his hip. Phil went sheepish; or, maybe he'd ask now.

"I, uh, was looking at apartments in London, earlier in the summer," he confessed. "Ready for graduation." Clint froze, and Phil felt his heart leap into his throat at the wide-eyed look on his face. "I was thinking. Tony offered to let me stay with him and Bruce in one of their guest rooms for the first year, and then, maybe, when you graduate, we could… get a place together?" He was pretty sure he stopped breathing while he waited for an answer, Clint just staring at him in shock. "I'd understand if you want to stay at the circus for a little while after graduation," he added hastily. "I mean, it's your home and everything, and you love it here, but I—Mmph!" His eyes widened as he was tackled exuberantly back against the pile of hay bales, Clint's lips on his and the blonde's hands on his shoulders as he fell on top of him. Phil groaned, deepening the kiss and shifting Clint to be more comfortable, their legs twining .

"I'd love to move in with you," Clint breathed against his lips, eyes bright. "Hell, I'd live with you starting tomorrow if it were an option. The circus have been anticipating me leaving for a while now; they knew I wouldn't be one of the permanent ones. I just have to come back and visit sometimes." He paused, biting his lip. "You really want to move in with me?"

"Clint, I'm completely in love with you," Phil pointed out wryly. "That tends to involve the eventual spending the rest of our lives together. That would be a little hard if we were living in separate places." Clint rolled his eyes, and Phil smiled. "I'd get a place this year and ask you to move in for next summer, but I don't think I could cope with having you living with me for eight weeks and then all the way at Hogwarts for a whole year," he admitted. Clint's smile faltered a fraction at the prospect of being away from Phil, and he kissed the older teen once more.

"I'd love to get a place with you," he confirmed, voice brimming with excitement. "Damn, Phil, can you imagine having a place that's just ours? No having to kick out roommates or stop halfway through sex because Tony called emergency movie night. A whole apartment that we own together." Phil couldn't help but grin at the prospect.

"We're sort-of getting practice at that this year," he reminded. "Head Boy room." Neither of them had been surprised when Phil had received the badge along with his usual school letter. Clint had, however, been stunned by the Quidditch Captain badge in his own. Both of them were mostly looking forward to it just because, as Head Boy, Phil got his own private room in Hufflepuff Tower. No doubt their roommates would be just as relieved as Phil and Clint themselves were.

"I can't wait to christen it," Clint agreed, smirking. "And speaking of christening; let's finish up the horses so we can head to bed, hmm?" Phil hummed, hand resting briefly on the small of Clint's back to pull him closer before allowing him to get up. Holding out a hand, Clint pulled Phil to his feet, and they quickly locked up the stables for the night, both still grinning like idiots. Phil felt like he was walking on air; Clint wanted to move in with him! Sure, he knew the teen loved him, but… he'd half expected Clint to want to try out the bachelor life for a year or two before committing to moving in with Phil. Last he'd heard, his boyfriend had been contemplating splitting a place with Natasha after graduation. He supposed that if Tasha and Maria lasted the whole two years, they'd probably be looking at moving in with each other by then.

When everything was ready, the pair of them made their way over to the tent Clint shared with a couple of other teenagers, briefly waving at the two boys playing cards in the living room before ducking into Clint's room, locking the door behind them. Phil loved wizarding tents. As he turned away from the door, Clint's arm wound around his neck, and Phil easily accepted the kiss bestowed on him, hand moving to grip at the back of Clint's neck, bringing him closer. His other arm snuck around the teen's trim hips, and he smirked into the kiss when Clint's hand moved to his belt buckle, trying to rid Phil of his jeans. "Someone's impatient," he teased, tugging Clint's t-shirt over his head.

"Just making the most of having you here," Clint retorted lightly, grinning as he was walked backwards towards the bed, Phil stepping out of his jeans and boxers on the way. "I still can't quite believe you're actually here at my crappy little circus."

"Your circus isn't crappy," Phil insisted. "Everyone here has been wonderful. I expected them to hate me for seducing away their star showman." Clint chuckled, pulling away to let Phil take off his t-shirt, using the opportunity to kick off his own jeans. He wasn't wearing underwear beneath, and Phil groaned low in his throat at the sight of his naked boyfriend. It was crazy how much Clint had grown up from being the scrawny, shy thirteen year-old Phil had first fallen in love with. He was a man now, they both were, and Clint definitely suited manhood well. He was beautiful.

"Phil, baby, I haven't shut up about you since the first summer I came home from Hogwarts. Even back as a bratty little twelve year-old I thought you were the most awesome person in the universe," Clint pointed out, grinning. "Everyone here has no choice but to love you."

Phil smiled, sucking a dark bruise into Clint's neck, too high for the collar of his costume to cover; they'd have to use a glamour, and he couldn't help but feel smug about it. "I'm so glad you're not a bratty little twelve year-old anymore," he murmured, making Clint snort.

"Me too, or this would be really creepy." Phil rolled his eyes, smacking Clint lightly on the side. "Kidding, kidding. Ugh, I'm gonna miss summer. NEWTs are gonna suck."

"Tell me about it," Phil agreed, too used to carrying on conversations during sex to be put off by it as his hand closed around Clint's cock. Clint was chatty when he was horny. "I see a lot of stress-relief sex in our future. Thank Merlin for my private room."

"So proud of you for that," Clint muttered, lips dragging up Phil's throat as he bucked up into him, gripping his shoulders tightly. "My sexy Head Boy. You gonna give me detention for being a bad boy?" he asked breathily, giving Phil a heated look. Phil tried not to think too hard about 'punishing' Clint in one of the empty classrooms at night, feeling arousal shoot down his spine.

"You've got enough detentions on your record without me adding to them," he teased instead, making Clint chuckle. Their movements grew more frantic, and the only sounds in the room were gasps and soft curses as they both drew closer and closer to the edge, Phil eventually coming with a strangled moan, Clint following soon after. Phil's arms turned to jelly, and he collapsed on his boyfriend with a satisfied sigh, head pillowing on Clint's muscular arm.

"God, you're amazing," Clint murmured, turning his head for a lazy kiss. Phil flicked his wand from his holster, cleaning them both up with a wordless charm — because he was of age and could do that now. "Hogwarts is gonna suck without you."

"I'll visit at Hogsmeade weekends," Phil promised, running his fingers through Clint's hair. "And you'll have Tasha and the others with you. It's only a year."

"I know, I know. But it's still gonna suck," Clint insisted, shuffling over until they were cuddled closer, tracing patterns on Phil's back and smiling when he hit a ticklish spot. "We'll have been together three years this year, can you believe that? It's gone so fast."

"Time flies," Phil agreed, letting his lips brush against Clint's slightly stubbled jaw. The archer was lazy about remembering to shave. "It'll be five before you know it. Then ten, then fifty, then a hundred and we'll both be old men yelling at brat kids to get off our lawn." Clint snickered, eyes bright.

"I bet you'll still be hot when you're a hundred and seventeen," he declared. "I mean, hell, Fury's old as balls and he's still looking pretty good for his age. You're bound to be hotter than him."

"Fury's only seventy, Clint," Phil pointed out with a laugh. "But thanks for the vote of confidence. I guess I should hope I'm still hot by then, or you might trade me in for a younger model." He smiled to show Clint he wasn't serious, but the blonde kissed him firmly anyway.

"Not gonna happen," he promised lightly. "We should go get ready for bed and whatever. Two shows tomorrow, and I'm starring both of them. I think they wanna get as much work out of me before I leave." Phil nodded, reluctantly heaving himself out of bed and hunting for his boxers, waiting until Clint was appropriately covered before unlocking the door. They were both sniggered at on their way to the bathroom, but after two weeks of it Phil was unperturbed. Besides, his Hogwarts roommates had come up with worse.

All done for the night, Phil and Clint crawled back into bed together, Phil getting every light but for the low lamp on the bedside table. He would never say it out loud, for fear of sounding pathetically sappy, but he secretly loved how Clint looked in the dim half-light. The shadows made his cheekbones look sharp enough to cut glass. "Hey, my parents want to stay for a show when they come pick me up. See what a magical circus is like and everything. Is that cool?"

"Really? Awesome, yeah, I'll make sure to reserve some seats," Clint assured, smiling. "Guess I get to show off a little, huh?"

"Shooting oranges in my back yard just won't cut it anymore, it seems," Phil joked, reminding Clint of what had happened last time he'd been to visit Phil's family. Phil was still trying to convince them that Clint didn't use any magic at all when he shot.

"I look forward to it. Even if it does mean you leave afterwards." Phil frowned, kissing the younger Hufflepuff.

"It's only a couple days. I'll see you on the train on Wednesday," he said optimistically. Clint huffed, holding Phil tighter and kissing him again.

"I just want the next two years to be over with," he whispered. "Hell, three years. Then all of us can be out of school and not have to worry about being separated, it'll be awesome." Phil could hardly believe that by the time Darcy and Loki graduated, he'd be twenty. It was kind-of terrifying.

"They'll be over before you know it," he promised, leaning over Clint to switch off the lamp. "Now come on, let's get some sleep. Long day of work tomorrow." Clint hummed, moving until he was in a more comfortable position for sleeping, he and Phil still intertwined.

"Love you, baby," the archer murmured, making Phil smile and kiss his forehead.

"Love you, too. Go to sleep." He shut his eyes, concentrating on the rhythm of Clint's breathing to help him fall asleep, hoping that if he listened long enough he'd be able to imagine it on the nights Clint wasn't there.


	57. Y7: First of the Last

_**Title:**__ First of the Last_  
_**Summary:**__ The group are reunited once more as they board the Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts, some of them for the last time._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 4036_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony/Bruce, Clint/Coulson, Tasha/Hill, Thor/Loki_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

Tony grinned widely as he and Bruce apparated into Platform 9 ¾, the platform already bustling with people. He smiled to himself at seeing some smaller kids hugging their parents tightly, clearly the new batch of first years reluctant to leave home. He'd never been one of them; he had always been looking forward to getting away from his parents more than anything, and dreaded summer with a passion. Oh, how things changed.

"Come on, Tony. Let's go find Steve; I miss him," Bruce urged, hand slipping into the billionaire's.

"Me too; it's so weird, being together without him. I know he said it was fine, and we used to do it before, but… it just feels wrong, now," Tony mused, a slight frown on his lips, and Bruce nodded in agreement.

"Like something's missing, right?" Tony nodded, smiling slightly at his Ravenclaw boyfriend. Bruce had stayed at Tony's almost the entire summer, and while they'd had Steve for part of it, neither of them felt completely okay fooling around without their third party. Steve had assured them countless times that he didn't mind, but Tony really only felt okay when they did it with Steve on video chat, watching. It felt strange to wake up in bed with Bruce on his chest, and no long arm over both of them and blonde hair tickling his neck. As fun as summer had been, they were definitely looking forward to all being back together, and Tony knew all three of them were trying to ignore the fact that in a year, they'd be without Steve for an entire school year. He didn't know how they would cope.

"There he is! Hey, Steve!" Tony waved as he called, trying to grab the blonde's attention from where he was stood with Bucky, Peggy and their parents. The tall Gryffindor turned, a smile lighting up his face as he spotted Bruce and Tony, and Tony couldn't help but grin back, pulling the younger boy into a firm kiss when he got close enough. "Hey, handsome. We've missed you like crazy." Steve smiled wider, reaching out to wrap an arm around Bruce's waist and tug him in close, kissing him. Tony's eyes flicked reflexively over to Steve's Mom, who was eyeing them with a faint smile on her face. Neither he nor Bruce were quite sure how to act around the woman now that she knew they were both sleeping with her son, but having spent a week at Steve's earlier in the summer they knew she was okay with the whole triad relationship thing. So was Bucky's Mom, which was great, as she was practically Steve's second mother. By the look on the faces of Peggy's parents, however, they hadn't known. Oops.

"Hey, you two. We were wondering when you'd show up," Steve greeted happily. "You all set?"

"Yeah, we were just gonna go look for the others and grab a compartment," Bruce replied. Tony broke away from the embrace briefly to kiss Peggy's cheek in greeting, giving Bucky a grin and a fist-bump.

"I suppose we'd better let you three go, then," Steve's Mom declared with a sigh, and Tony smiled charmingly at her.

"We can wait, Mrs Rogers, if you want a little more time with him," he offered, but she shook her head.

"Oh, no, don't be silly, dear. You go find the rest of your friends. Have a good year, and stay out of trouble, all of you."

"Please, please stay out of trouble," Bucky's Mom piped up, drawing scattered laughs from the group. Mrs Rogers pulled her son into a tight hug, standing on tiptoes to kiss his forehead, and Tony saw tears in Mrs Carter's eyes as she hugged her daughter goodbye before sending her to Hogwarts for the very last time. Caught off guard when arms wrapped around him, his eyes widened, and he flailed a little before hugging Mrs Rogers back, embarrassed to find himself choking up a little. He hadn't been hugged goodbye before school since his very first year. He could tell Bruce was just as surprised when he was hugged, and Tony could practically see Steve's tail wagging as he watched.

"Have a good final year, boys. Look after yourselves; I know I don't need to ask you to look after Stevie for me," she told Tony and Bruce with a grin, which Tony returned as his blonde boyfriend flushed.

"Thanks, Mrs Rogers," Bruce said softly, smiling. "We will."

"Oh, hush; I've told both of you, it's Sarah," she insisted, rolling her eyes. Pressing a kiss to each of their foreheads, she straightened up and turned to Bucky, who was shouldering his bag. "James Buchanan Barnes, if you think you're getting away without a hug goodbye from me, you are _sorely_ mistaken." Bucky winked at her, holding out his arms expectantly.

"I wouldn't even dream of it, Sarah. I'll see you at Christmas, and I swear I'll try not to get detention so much this year," he added sheepishly, making her laugh as she kissed his cheek.

"I'll believe that when I see it. Now go on, all of you, or you won't find a compartment big enough. Goodbye, Peggy, dear; have a good year!"

"Thank you, Mrs Rogers," Peggy returned with a smile, looping her arm through Bucky's as the five of them set off to find the rest of their group. Tony situated himself on Steve's left side, with Bruce on the blonde's right, and bumped shoulders with his boyfriend, grinning to himself.

Thor and his crowd weren't that hard to spot once they arrived, Darcy in tow chatting a mile a minute to Loki, who looked patiently exasperated as he listened. Thor and Steve waved to each other in the way that only two people who were head and shoulders over the rest of the crowd could, and they met up in the middle after a long round of goodbyes, Odin hardly saying a word to his sons, and Frigga hugging them both warmly. When hugs and kisses had all been exchanged, the two groups joined up, clapping each other on the shoulders and hugging briefly. Tony was practically flattened by Darcy's greeting, the Hufflepuff girl tackling him in a hug and then proceeding to use him as a booster to press a kiss to Steve's cheek. "What up, dudes! Any sign of our missing members?" she asked cheerfully, glancing around.

"Not yet. I know Rhodey will be cutting it fine today as his Dad had some phone conference thing just before," Tony supplied. "No sign of Phil and the wondertwins, or Pep and Jane. Ooh, hang on, I take that back! I see red." He craned his neck, frowning. "Steve, is that them?" The blonde peered in the direction Tony was looking, then nodded.

"Yup. Tasha, Clint, Phil and Maria. Looks like we're just short Pepper and Jane."

"No you're not." Tony jumped at the unexpected voice from behind him, grinning widely as Pepper smirked at him, Jane at her side.

"Hey there, gorgeous," he greeted, pulling her into a tight hug. "How've you been? Jane, c'mere." He hugged the other Ravenclaw, kissing the top of her head, smiling as Darcy ran off to grab the other four and drag them over.

"I've been good in the three days since you last saw me, Tony," Pepper replied dryly, amused. "Rhodey text, he's about five minutes out." Tony glanced at his watch, wincing; his friend would indeed be cutting it fine.

"Guess we'd better claim some seats, then." Shrinking the luggage of those who hadn't already, Tony led the way onto the train and down towards the end, keeping an eye out. Most of the bigger compartments were full already, and there was no way in hell they'd all fit in a small one. At last, he found one near the very back of the train, darting inside before anyone else could claim it. Steve slipped in behind him and sat down right by the window, patting his thighs expectantly. Tony grinned, seating himself comfortably in his boyfriend's lap, and Bruce didn't hesitate to sit down by Steve's side.

"We won't all fit on the benches otherwise," Steve reasoned innocently when Bucky gave him a look, and the other Gryffindor snorted.

"They've corrupted you, soldier. You're doomed," he declared firmly. Tony smirked proudly, giving Bruce a fist-bump that made Bucky roll his eyes. One by one they squeezed into the compartment, Steve and Tony not the only ones choosing the double up. Loki perched on Thor's knee, the blonde's arm draped loosely around his waist, and Sif ended up sat on Volstagg. Darcy was the last one in, and she frowned at the tight space available to her, deciding better of it. Not even asking for permission, she deposited herself neatly on Bucky's lap, smiling at Jane, who was sat beside him. "Don't I get a say in this?" Bucky grumbled, though he shifted to make them both more comfortable.

"Nope. Suck it up, Buckeroo." Tony hid a smile at the nickname, feeling Steve snicker quietly into his shoulder. Bucky reddened, but wisely kept his mouth shut. Rhodey turned up a minute or two after they sat down, and was left with no place to sit but the floor.

"That's what you get for being late, honeybear," Tony pointed out playfully. "But I'm sure you could sit on someone's lap if you wanted."

"I'll pass, thanks," the Hufflepuff retorted flatly, rolling his eyes.

As the train started to move, they were all rocked sideways in their precarious positions, Steve's arm tightening a fraction to keep Tony steady. He moved his other arm across the back of the seat, though it quickly slipped down to curl around Bruce's shoulders, pulling him in.

"Well, this is it," Peggy declared, looking out the window as they began to pull out of London. "The last time we'll be riding the train at the start of a new year. For some of us, at least." Tony swallowed at the reminder, chest feeling a little tight as the nostalgia hit. He slipped a hand into Bruce's and squeezed, and Steve pressed a kiss to the back of his neck.

"You'll get to ride it on the way home, though. And if you go home for Christmas you'll come back on the train," Steve pointed out optimistically. Jane sighed, shrugging one shoulder, the other one trapped against Fandral.

"It's not the same," she insisted quietly. "You'll probably understand next year." Tony had to agree with her; it wasn't the same. It was the beginning of the end, as far as he was concerned. Yes, the end made way for a whole new beginning in itself, but… he really didn't want to leave Hogwarts.

A tense silence fell over the group, the older members thinking of how many things they were about to experience for the last time while the younger members were unsure what to say, and Tony cleared his throat to break it, plastering a grin on his face. "Alright, alright, enough of this sentimental crap. Whip 'em out, people. I wanna see all the shiny new badges around here." Clint snorted, moving away from Phil's embrace to rummage through his jacket pocket, pulling out the yellow and black Quidditch Captain badge. As he did so, Phil and Maria both showed off their Head Boy and Girl badges, and to everyone's surprise, Natasha offered up the Slytherin Quidditch Captain badge.

"You passed on it?" Bruce asked Maria, who nodded.

"I'm going to be busy this year, with exams. Not everyone can be Tony Stark," she joked, making Tony grin. "Besides, Natasha knows the team just as well as I do."

"I believe we are one short," Thor cut in, giving Loki a pointed look. The Slytherin sighed, cheeks reddening faintly, and obligingly reached into his pocket, pulling out what was unmistakably a Prefect badge.

"Damn, Loki! Congrats," Tony crowed, giving the younger teen a grin. "Slowly taking over the school system, one position of student authority at a time. How about you, Lewis?" Darcy snorted, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Me, a prefect? Are you high?" Tony snickered, and Clint leaned over to give the girl a high-five.

"All right, Darce! Good to see there's still some troublemakers in here. Congratulations though, Loki. That's awesome," he added, offering the black-haired boy a smile. Loki smiled back tentatively, though it quickly curled into a playful smirk.

"Just because we are prefects does not mean we cannot cause trouble. It just means we're less likely to be accused of it," he pointed out. Clint grinned lopsidedly, conceding the point with a nod towards the Slytherin.

"So no one is surprised at Head Boy and Girl over here, right? I mean, we're happy for you both and all, but let's face it, that one's been coming since first year," Tony snarked at the pair, and he knew that if Phil's closest arm wasn't around Clint's shoulders, it would be smacking him over the back of the head.

"Nope, not surprised. Proud, but totally not surprised," Clint confirmed, kissing his boyfriend's jaw. "But don't be jealous of our awesome private room, Stark. You should've thought of that when you got more detentions than the rest of us combined."

"I believe you mean _my_ private room," Phil corrected lightly, but Clint just rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, baby. What's yours is mine and all that."

"We're not married, Clint." Phil's tone was deadpan despite the amused glint in his eyes, and Clint winked.

"_Yet_. We're not married _yet_," he pointed out, smug. Tony glanced sideways at Bruce, both of them thinking the same thing; had something gone down over the summer? A quick look to Natasha proved that Phil hadn't actually proposed, and Tony's grin widened.

"Besides, bird-brain, why would I be jealous of your private room? Bruce and I have had the dorm to ourselves our whole Hogwarts career. We've never had to throw anyone out when Steve is over." He leaned back against his taller boyfriend's chest, fingers still laced comfortably with Bruce's on the werewolf's knee. "Besides, I'll have all next year to acquaint myself with the Gryffindor Head Boy's room, because there is no way in hell Steve won't get the badge. I was thinking of putting an illegal fireplace in there, just connecting it to my bedroom. What do you think, gorgeous?"

"I think we'll see how often Fury lets you two visit before you start thinking about breaking laws. Besides, we don't even know if I'll get the badge," Steve reasoned diplomatically, allowing Tony to shift sideways so he could lean his back against the wall, legs stretching out over both Steve and Bruce's laps.

"Oh, please, everyone knows you'll be Head Boy next year," Darcy said with a roll of her eyes. "You're like, the model student except for the whole having sex in the dorms all the time thing. The only one up for consideration is whether Head Girl will go to Sif or Tasha." Tony nodded in agreement; it was highly unlikely Head Girl would go to anyone else. Most of the girls in Steve's year were a few runes short of a ward.

"Yeah, well, we'll have to wait and see," Steve mumbled, turning red. Tony smiled at him, making himself more comfortable as Bruce reached over his legs to pull a book from his bag. That seemed to be the signal that the conversation was over, and several new ones sprouted in its place, the group splintering off as they were wont to do. More books were pulled out and even a laptop or two, Darcy setting her Starkplayer up in its speakers on the table. Tony turned to Steve, leaning in for a brief kiss.

"Want me to move so you can get your sketchbook?" he asked quietly, but Steve shook his head.

"Nah, I'm good for now, thanks. Think I just wanna sit for a while." Tony smiled, resting his head against the larger teen's shoulder.

"Yeah, I think I might join you. God, I can't wait to get you two alone tonight. We missed you so much, y'know." He kept his voice soft, though loud enough that he knew Bruce's crazy werewolf hearing would pick up on it, and was rewarded as his curly-haired boyfriend smirked behind his book.

"I know, I missed you both too. I hate sleeping alone now," Steve admitted in a whisper, head bent in close to Tony's. "It was worse knowing you two were together without me."

"You know we spent every moment wishing you were with us, right? Hell, half the time we couldn't even finish because it just felt so weird without you there," Tony confessed, watching Steve's cheeks go pink even as the tiniest smile of satisfaction flickered across his lips. Tony stifled a smile; as much as Steve liked to pretend he wasn't insecure about it, he knew that was a lie. He and Bruce would just have to keep reinforcing that they didn't want to do anything that didn't involve him, even if they would be apart a whole year.

"I'll make it up to you tonight," Steve promised, hand carding through Bruce's messy hair. "We'll have some fun, no one will care if we're late to classes on the first day."

"You know I can hear you both, right?" Natasha cut in from opposite them, absently braiding Maria's hair while the girl talked with Phil. Steve blushed right to the tips of his ears, while Tony merely winked at the redhead unashamedly.

"Nothing you didn't know already. Now you can just picture vivdly what us three are up to all night while you're trying to reunite with your girlfriend," he retorted, smirk widening. Natasha shuddered at the mental image, and Maria glared at Tony.

"I hate you, Stark, and will be putting you in so many detentions this year your boyfriend will be doing them on your behalf when you graduate." Tony laughed, offering a mocking salute and sliding his fingers into Steve's hair, pulling him down into a kiss. He couldn't wait until the feast was over.

.-.-.

Lifting his head from Steve's shoulder as he started to doze off, Tony turned to look out the window. His eyebrows shot up as he saw how deep in the Highlands they already were, and how dark it was getting.

"Damn, time flies when you're sitting on a hot piece of ass. We'd all better get changed," he declared, checking his watch. By his count, they only had an hour or two before they arrived at the school. "Ladies first?"

"Sure thing, Tony," Pepper replied, shifting over to let Hogun get to his feet. With a small amount of awkwardness as they all tried not to elbow each other or step on anyone's toes, the boys left the compartment so the girls could change, the compartment windows blacking out as soon as the door was shut. Glancing up the corridor, Tony noticed several other people loitering outside compartments as they waited for friends to change, then turned back to his group, rolling his eyes when he saw Bruce had brought his book with him.

"What you reading?" he asked quietly, wrapping his arms around the Ravenclaw from behind and kissing his neck as he peered over at the book. Bruce merely hummed, tilting his head so Tony could read the pages a little better, and the billionaire recognised several complex transfiguration theories. "Ooh, looks fun, I'll have to borrow it when you're finished."

"Sure thing," Bruce agreed easily, smiling. Tony rested his cheek against Bruce's back, smiling at Steve, who was watching them with a fond look in his eyes.

"Oh, for God's sake, the girls better hurry up," Bucky muttered as Clint and Phil, who had been talking quietly with their heads together, started kissing languidly, Clint's back hitting the blacked out windows of the compartment. Tony smirked, sliding a hand up inside Bruce's shirt just to piss Bucky off.

"You know the blackout only goes one way, right? The girls can see you," Rhodey pointed out nonchalantly.

"Let them," Clint muttered, hand resting on Phil's shoulder, their lips still barely touching. Before they could get too indecent, however, the blackout spell cancelled, and Peggy opened the door, dressed in her uniform, robe hanging over her arm. She cleared her throat pointedly, giving them all a stern look.

"You boys are insatiable," she muttered, making Tony laugh.

"Yes, ma'am. Now come on, it's our turn." The two groups switched places, Phil getting the blackout spell while Tony and Bruce started resizing luggage for everyone to get their uniforms out. Digging out his school shirt, Tony shed his jacket and pulled his t-shirt over his head, sliding his arms into the sleeves. He wolf-whistled as Bruce took his t-shirt off, grinning when the werewolf flushed and ducked his head. It made Tony happy to see Bruce so comfortable in front of their friends, despite still having plenty of scars from his pre-cure days. Back when they'd first met, Bruce had refused to be in anything less than two layers around other people.

"Let me help with that," he murmured, reaching out to get Steve's buttons as the Gryffindor shrugged on his shirts.

"Oh no you don't," Rhodey cut in sharply, swatting at Tony's hands. "Keep it in your pants, Stark; you're not the only ones in the room. Everyone else seems to be managing fine." A look around proved that, while Clint was sending Phil's bare legs a heated look, and Thor was somewhat mesmerised by the action of Loki tugging his t-shirt over his head, Tony was the only one to actually start touching.

"Ugh, fine, fun-sucker. One day you'll get a girlfriend and I will take great, great pleasure in cockblocking you at every opportunity," he declared, shucking his jeans to exchange them for his school trousers, trying not to stare at Bruce's ass too obviously as the other teen did the same.

"Or I'll just get a girlfriend and not tell you about it," Rhodey retorted, smirking.

When they were all dressed and had re-shrunk the luggage, they let the girls back in and resumed their seating positions for the last hour. Tony swapped with Bruce, letting his curly-haired boyfriend enjoy sitting on Steve for a while, trying to keep his dirty thoughts to himself. They just had to get through the welcoming feast, and then they were good to go. He could wait.

Before he knew it, the train had pulled into Hogsmeade station and they were all gathering their things, filing out onto the platform where the carriages awaited them. Taking one with Steve, Bruce and Pepper, Tony ignored how much his stomach squirmed; he and Bruce were planning on going to Steve's for Christmas, so it wasn't the last carriage ride he'd have, but… it sure felt like it.

Stepping out into the night, he and Bruce paused to stare up at the castle, hands clasped firmly. Tony could hardly imagine that in exactly a year, Steve and the others would be coming to Hogwarts without him, without Bruce. He'd be running Stark Industries full time, a real adult, done with education. It was a terrifying thought.

An arm slid around his waist, and Steve's head ducked in between theirs, dropping a kiss on each of their cheeks as he pulled them in close. "I'm trying not to think about it," he admitted in a whisper. Tony's shoulders tensed; of course, it was just as bad for Steve, if not worse. He'd be alone, at least Tony would have Bruce to hold at night. He would definitely have to look into getting an illegal fireplace in the Gryffindor Head Boy room.

"Come on," Bruce murmured, squeezing Tony's hand and nuzzling against Steve's jaw. "Let's go inside." Squaring his shoulders, Tony let Steve slip between him and Bruce, winding an arm comfortably around him, and the three of them caught up with Pepper to go rejoin the others, ready to start their final year at Hogwarts.


	58. Y7: Interruptions

_**Title:**__ Interruptions_  
_**Summary:**__ Tasha and Maria have their first night free of duties together in two weeks. Unfortunately, they don't stay free for long._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2196_  
_**Pairings:**__ Tasha/Hill, Clint/Coulson_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

Lounging on her girlfriend's bed, Tasha smiled to herself, watching Maria finish up her essay. They had all settled into the school routine remarkably quickly, and the teachers weren't cutting them any slack. Tasha felt bad about teasing the others the year previous for complaining about their workload in a non-exam year; despite the fact that NEWTs were a whole two years away, all the professors wanted them studying for them _immediately_. In the two weeks since she'd been back, Natasha had been set about thirty essays, and her older friends were getting double that. On top of prefect duties, and quidditch practice, there was hardly any time for any sort of relaxation. Hell, it had taken them the whole two weeks to get an evening to themselves.

"Done," Maria declared, setting her quill down and spelling the parchment with a drying charm before rolling it up. "I swear, one day we'll just be able to use laptops and printers for our essays."

"I think that's Tony's bribe if Fury stops him and Bruce coming to see Steve," Tasha replied, amused. "Computers and printers in the library and common rooms." Maria got to her feet, undoing her tie and leaving it draped over the back of her desk chair as she crossed to join Natasha, leaning in for a kiss.

"Then it'll be too late for me, but for your sake I hope Fury's a bastard about their visitation," she murmured, making Tasha snort.

"Well his plan is either bribery or threatening to blow up the school, so it could go either way." The older Slytherin laughed, shaking her head in exasperation as she moved further up the bed, leaning against the headboard and pulling Natasha's head into her lap, running her fingers through red hair.

"Tony wouldn't really blow up the school. Maybe like, a small section of it. The Astronomy tower, maybe; no one uses that anymore," the dark-haired girl mused. Tasha looked up at her, eyebrow raised.

"Everyone uses the Astronomy tower. Just never for Astronomy," she pointed out dryly. Shifting onto her back so she could look at Maria more comfortably, Tasha bent her knees and dug socked feet into the bedspread. "Besides, I don't mind writing out essays so much. I'm used to it by now."

"So am I, but I'm getting more and more used to typing each summer. But I suppose it won't matter soon." Natasha's smile faltered a fraction at the reminder, but she hid it well, glancing around the room. All of their things were unpacked by now, their books sharing shelf space and both their clothes in the wardrobe. Sometimes it felt like they were moving too fast, to be spending every night together, but then Tasha reminded herself that technically they had been together nine months already; they'd been seeing each other for a long time before her friends found out. Besides, it was quieter in Maria's room, and more peaceful. Tasha appreciated that.

"Y'know, we've been here for two weeks and it already looks like six people have been living in here for a year," she remarked wryly, earning a gentle swat to the shoulder.

"Give me a break, I haven't had time to tidy up properly yet. Besides, you live here too," Maria pointed out. "The quidditch stuff piled in the corner is yours, right?"

"The robe says 'Hill' on the back," Natasha informed her. "So close, but no cigar. You'll need to clean that, by the way. Practice tomorrow night." Maria cursed, a frown coming to her lips.

"Oh, damn it, I totally forgot. Ugh, I'll have to stay up late after to finish an essay for Selvig. I'm sorry." Natasha propped herself up on one elbow, using her other arm to tug Maria's down into a kiss.

"It's fine," she assured quietly. "I'll even stay up with you, if you want." Maria urged her up until Tasha was sitting, her hand braced on the bed to keep her balanced.

"No, it's okay; you need your sleep, and it won't take me long. I just don't want the light from my desk to keep you up," the Head Girl murmured, making Natasha smile.

"Maria, I can sleep just about anywhere, anytime. A little light isn't going to make things difficult for me. Hell, my roommates would always be up later than I was, I kinda got used to it. Not that it's not nice to be in here with you," she added, watching as a smirk crept across Maria's lips.

"Nice? Is that it? Maybe I should reconsider my offer," she drawled, her soft laugh cut off by a kiss.

"Shut up, you love having me here," Natasha retorted knowingly. Maria's hand came up to the redhead's side, fingers brushing her waist where her shirt had untucked from her skirt.

"I do, but I'm beginning to wonder if the private room is the only reason you're dating me," she murmured, dragging kisses across Tasha's high cheekbones.

"Damn, you got me," Tasha mock-cursed, trying not to smile as she let one hand start on the buttons of Maria's shirt, unveiling her toned stomach. "I knew from the beginning that you'd make Head Girl. I'm totally in it for the room." Maria hummed as Tasha kissed her, tangling her fingers in her girlfriend's hair to pull her closer, pushing her shirt off her shoulders to get at her pale throat, exposing the dark blue lace of her bra.

"The perks are good, I can live with you using me for my room," she teased, slowly sliding one hand up the back of Natasha's thigh. Tasha smirked into the kiss, reaching around beneath Maria's unbuttoned shirt to neatly undo the clasp of her bra. Swinging one leg over Maria's until their sock-clad legs tangled, Tasha felt warmth pool in her belly as Maria's hand snuck even higher beneath her skirt, fingers tracing the line of her underwear. Arching into the touch, They both froze at an abrupt knock on the door.

"Goddamn it," Tasha muttered, head falling to Maria's shoulder. "What is it?" Her shout was irritated, and she mentally swore that if the prefects had directed some snivelling little homesick first year to Maria's room on the one night they both had free, she was going to strangle someone.

"Am I interrupting something?" Neither of them were surprised when the door opened without either of them getting it, Clint slipping soundlessly inside and closing it behind him, and amused expression on his face as he leant back against the door, arms folded over his chest. Tasha growled, glaring at her best friend, her arousal dying.

"Why, Clint? Why do you hate me so much? I never interrupt when you and Phil are having sex, what the hell makes you think it's okay to do it to me?" Clint's smirk widened, and he looked completely unrepentant.

"To be fair, at least I knocked. I could have just as easily come in through the vent over there." He pointed up at the ceiling where the air vent was concealed under a charm. "You should be thanking me."

"First night off in two weeks, Clint. I am _never_ going to thank you for that." Maria kissed Tasha placatingly, sitting up to reach around her back and do her bra up once more, tugging her shirt closed. Not that it mattered much; Clint wasn't even remotely interested in the female form.

"Why are you here, Clint?" the older Slytherin sighed, fixing him with the sharp look that had just about everyone in the castle quaking in their boots. Evidently Clint had missed the memo; or maybe her glaring powers were nullified when the person you were glaring at had just seen you trying to get it on with your girlfriend. Tasha added her own glare to the mix, and Clint swallowed slightly. That was better.

"You're late," he informed them. "First movie night of the year. Tony wants everyone there, remember? But feel free to carry on where you left on once you get there. I'm sure a few people would appreciate the change from seeing us guys making out all the time," he joked. Natasha scowled, crawling off the bed and taking two long strides across the room to smack the archer around the head, the noise resounding in the room. "Ouch! Damn it, don't shoot the messenger! Blame Tony."

"Oh, I will," Tasha assured him vehemently. "But I blame you for interrupting when you knew damn well what we were doing in here. You could have at least waited, or given them some excuse about homework and how we'd be over later. Remember, Clint; I know where you sleep, and I can fit through spaces that most cannot." Watching the colour drain from his face as he remembered her animagus form, she gave him a dark look. "Go wait outside, we'll be out in a minute. And you are definitely not off the hook." He nodded, giving her a salute before reaching back for the door handle.

"Yes, ma'am." He ducked out of the room before Natasha could hit him again, and the redhead turned back to Maria, who had gotten up and was bending down to pull her socks back up over her knees.

"I am so, so sorry," she began, but Maria cut her off with a laugh, shaking her head.

"Don't be. I should probably get used to it, right? I mean, I knew what I was signing on for when I agreed to go public with you," she reasoned, unceremoniously letting her skirt fall to the floor, revealing long, smooth legs for the minute or two it took to find a pair of soft, worn jeans. She then let her shirt fall, exchanging it for a long-sleeved t-shirt, and Tasha couldn't keep her eyes off her as she did, wondering how she'd managed to bag such a gorgeous, badass girlfriend.

"Still, Clint's kind-of an ass. I'll talk to him about acceptable levels of privacy." Not bothering to properly change out of her uniform just for movie night, Tasha pulled a pair of shorts on and abandoned her skirt, just grabbing Maria's baggy Slytherin Quidditch Team hoodie off the bedpost and tugging it over her school shirt.

"It's fine, seriously. If I know your friends at all by now, we'll barely make it through one movie before half the room are practically screwing. We can bail early, come back here, have the rest of the night to ourselves. Sound good?" She stepped closer to Tasha and wound an arm around her waist, leaning in to kiss her softly, sending tingles down Tasha's spine.

"Sounds perfect," the younger teen replied somewhat breathlessly. Before she could decide to say screw her friends and toss Maria back down on the bed, there was another pointed knock on the door that had them sharing an exasperated look. "We'd better go." She dug her shoes out from the pile by the door, slipping into them and lacing her hand with Maria's, going to open the door. Clint was leaning against the wall opposite, juggling some conjured golf balls. He let them disappear as they emerged, giving an apologetic smile.

"Hey. Look, I really am sorry. I figured you'd be getting busy but I didn't know it was your first night off in two weeks," he admitted sheepishly. "Please don't castrate me while I sleep." Natasha couldn't help but snort, and Maria snickered as she locked her room behind her.

"I won't, this time. But no promises on any future offence," Tasha replied lightly. Clint grinned, nodding.

"Duly noted. But hey, aren't the private rooms awesome?" he remarked, leading the way down into the Slytherin common room. "It's so great not having to worry about roommates or anything. And being able to have sex whenever we want is pretty sweet, too. I can see what Bruce and Tony have been bragging about all these years."

"Yeah, see, we would love to do that, but when we try and have sex we get interrupted by nosy little feather-balls," Maria retorted sweetly, her smile not faltering. Clint paused, eyes going wide a little, and Natasha stifled a smirk. Her girlfriend was awesome.

"Wow, Nat, your girl's got claws. Maybe you can keep her." Natasha rolled her eyes, giving him a mildly irritated look.

"Clint, I'm currently carrying four knives and my wand. Maria's claws will be the least of your problems if you don't shut up now." He grinned at her, miming zipping up his lips, and Maria snickered, leaning in to kiss Natasha's cheek.

"You're so hot when you're threatening people," she murmured, sliding a hand into the back pocket of Natasha's shorts. Tasha smirked, ignoring Clint's smug look as he walked alongside them up the stairs.

"One movie," she told the older girl under her breath, body already warming in anticipation. "Then we bail. You promise?"

"Definitely." Tasha let her fingers sneak beneath the waistband of Maria's jeans as they walked, brushing the silk of her panties where they arched over her hipbone. It had better be a damn short movie.


	59. Y7: Heels Over Head

_**Title:**__ Heels Over Head_  
_**Summary:**__ Bucky has a secret, and Steve and Peggy want to know. But of course, once they do, they can't let him leave it alone._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3442_  
_**Pairings:**__ Bucky/Darcy_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

Bucky smiled to himself as he shuffled over on the bed, letting Steve sprawl out a little more. The blonde was in the Gryffindor dorm for what had to be the first time all year, and he wasn't even staying the night. The pair of them were in there with Peggy, the older girl sitting on Steve's abandoned bed as she worked on some homework. It had been a while since they'd had some time to hang out, and Bucky was guiltily glad that all their partners were otherwise occupied. He didn't begrudge either of them hanging out with their significant others, but he was starting to get a little sick of having to find his own entertainment when everyone else was busy.

"How do you think the match next weekend is gonna go?" Steve asked curiously, directing the question to the room at large. Bucky shrugged, leaning one shoulder against the bedpost.

"I dunno, man. I mean, Ravenclaw are doing well, but Clint's been like a demon on the training recently. Hufflepuff could kick ass," he mused, only half his brain on the conversation.

"He's determined to win the cup this year," Steve remarked, propping his feet up on the headboard. "Mostly to beat Tony, but also I think he just wants Phil to see him win."

"Merlin, those two are idiots for each other," Peggy muttered, rolling her eyes with a fond smile. "I do think Hufflepuff have a fair chance, though. As much of the rest of us, at least. Though it would be nice to win one more time before graduation." Bucky hummed noncommittally, not noticing when he was given two concerned looks. Steve reached over, nudging him in the side.

"Hey, Buck. You okay?" Startling, Bucky managed a quick smile, nodding.

"What? Yeah, fine, soldier. And for the record, Hufflepuff are _not_ beating us this year," he added, hoping to drag the conversation back on track so he could get back to his daydreaming. Steve raised an eyebrow at him, nodding slowly.

"Sure thing, Buck. But are you sure? You've been a little… weird recently."

"Weird? Nah, you're imagining things, Steve. I've never been better," Bucky insisted with a grin.

"No, Steve's right. You've not been yourself the past few weeks," Peggy agreed, lips pursed. "I thought you were just getting used to being back working, but it's been long enough now."

"I'm fine, I swear," Bucky repeated, smile dropping a little as he ran a hand through his hair. "I've just been thinking some. It's nothing."

"Well, now you've said that, you have to tell us," Steve teased lightly, offering a grin. "C'mon, Buck. We can keep a secret, and something's eating you. Spill." Sighing, Bucky pulled one knee up to his chest somewhat defensively, wrapping an arm around it.

"I like someone," he confessed eventually, heart pounding against his ribs just at the admission. Peggy snorted, eyeing him bemusedly.

"You _always_ like someone, Bucky," she pointed out, but he shook his head insistently.

"No, this is different," he urged, letting out a noise of frustration as he found himself unable to explain it without sounding stupid. "It's— I like this girl how I liked you, back in fourth year. This is like, serious." He felt his cheeks redden as Steve's eyes widened a fraction, and Peggy looked vaguely chastened.

"Wow. Damn, Buck, I'm happy for you. Who is the lucky lady?" Steve asked, grinning. Once again, Bucky shook his head, ducking his gaze.

"It doesn't matter," he muttered, "she wouldn't be interested." Staring intently at the floor, he missed the look his two best friends shared. Steve's hand rested on his shoulder, and the blonde squeezed gently, looking concerned.

"Come on, man, that's not like you; how do you know she wouldn't be interested? Wait, it's not Tasha again, is it?" Bucky snorted, remembering the ill-advised and thankfully brief crush he'd had on the redhead, and only ever told Steve and Peggy about. To this day, he still thought he was more attracted to the fact that Tasha could kick his ass without breaking a sweat. He clearly had a thing for strong women.

"No, no, it's not Tasha, don't worry. Damn, you really think I'd even consider liking her when Maria would murder me for it?" he remarked with a weak laugh. To be fair, he was very likely to get murdered anyway, if certain people found out who he'd developed an attraction to.

"I don't understand why you can't just go up to this girl and ask her on a date," Peggy mused evenly. "It works for you with every other girl in the school." Bucky laughed, a wistful smile coming to his face as he imagined doing just that. He'd be hexed ten times and on the floor before he could finish speaking.

"She's not like any other girl in this school," he declared. This time, when Steve and Peggy exchanged glances, he caught it. "Hey! What was that look for?"

"Nothing, nothing," Steve insisted, though a smile tugged at his lips. "Just, it sounds to me like you might actually be in it for real this time. Took you long enough." Bucky reached out to punch him lightly on the shoulder, scowling faintly.

"Yeah, well, not all of us can find two freaking soulmates before the age of sixteen," he muttered, rolling his eyes as Steve gained a predictably sappy expression. "Besides, I'm not in it for real. I can't be. I told you, she wouldn't be interested." He wasn't even convincing himself, but he'd already thought of the myriad of ways he was not allowed to be in love with her.

"Why not?" Peggy challenged. "I think past experience proves that you have no idea how girls really work, despite your apparent prowess with them. For all you know, she could be pining just as much as you are, but too shy to say."

"I am not pining!" he burst out indignantly, glaring when Steve snickered. "And it's not just that she wouldn't be into it. I just can't, okay?" He made the mistake of looking up, meeting Steve's earnest blue eyes. Goddamn puppy-face could make anyone spill their secrets, veritaserum be damned. "It's Darcy, okay?" He felt a strange sort of relief at finally saying it out loud, mixed with a nauseating squirm of dread at his friends' reactions. "I tried not to like her, I really did, and I know the rest of the guys will pound me to a pulp if I ever think about putting the moves on their little sister, but I can't help it!" He allowed himself to think of her, the devious smile and sparkling eyes, her carefree manner and silky brown hair. "She's incredible, soldier."

"Damn. Wow, Buck. You have it bad," Steve murmured sympathetically, hugging him around the shoulders. "But… Darcy knows you well enough to know what you're like. If you asked her and she said yes… I really don't think Thor or the others could do anything about it. I know Tony and Bruce wouldn't, if she asked them to back off. Besides, as much as we're all protective over Darce, we know you're just as protective as we are. I can't speak for the others, but I trust you not to hurt her." Bucky looked up in surprise, and turned to see Peggy smiling at him.

"Darcy is a perfectly capable young woman, and I know she'd smack the both of you for implying she needs the boys to look after her," she pointed out frankly, making them both blush. "And as for Thor, it's none of his business who Darcy dates so long as she's happy. If he's going to trust anyone around here with her, it'll be someone from the group, someone he already knows is a good person." Her smile softened, and she reached across the gap between the beds to take his hand, squeezing it briefly. "It's worth a shot, Bucky. The worst she can do is say no." Actually, Bucky thought privately, the worst she could do was curse him to hell and back and refuse to ever speak to him again, but he doubted Peggy would appreciate him saying it.

"It's funny, though," Steve said abruptly, and Bucky raised an eyebrow in prompt. "Every time you have real feelings, it's for one of a handful of girls in this joint who won't immediately fall at your feet. And will quite happily knock you on your ass for messing them around," he added with a grin, making the shorter boy snicker as Peggy looked strangely proud at the description.

"It's different, though," Bucky insisted softly. "When I was with Peggy — no offence, Pegs — I liked her _because_ she wasn't crazy over me like all the other girls were. With Darcy, I just… I really like her." He blushed again, feeling foolish admitting it, but both Steve and Peggy were smiling knowingly at him, so clearly he couldn't have said anything too stupid.

"Then I think you're just going to have to man up and talk to her," Peggy replied. "Because if you keep daydreaming all the time like you have been, she'll notice for herself." Bucky winced, not even wanting to imagine the situation. Yeah, maybe she had a point.

.-.-.-.

As two of the perpetually single members of their group — Bucky never really counted his flings as 'dates', and he hadn't had one for a while anyway — it wasn't unusual for Bucky and Darcy to hang out together. Darcy liked to kidnap him or one of the other unattached members of their group when she decided her year were too insufferable and dense to even bother with. She used to go to Loki about it, but now he was with Thor, Bucky knew she didn't want to disturb the little alone time they got. She'd have Loki all to herself for the next two years.

Still, as normal as it was, Bucky's palms were a little sweaty as he sat on the couch in the Room of Requirement with Darcy leaning against his shoulder while she painted her toenails with sparkly red polish; getting into the holiday mood early, she claimed. Music was playing from the Starkplayer on the table, and he was quite happy listening to her fill him in on all the gossip she seemed to pick up from Merlin-knew-where. Why she wasn't a Slytherin, he would never understand; he suspected bribery was somehow involved.

"Hey, Buck, did anyone tell you that Kitty tried to go for Bobby again?" she asked, cutting into his thoughts. He raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

"No way," he denied. "Surely she can't be _that_ stupid." Darcy laughed, nodding.

"Oh, I know, right? But she totally tried to kiss him when there was that birthday thing for Kurt at the weekend. I wasn't there because, y'know, they're lame little third years and the sight of them makes me want to squish their faces. But apparently Kitty tried to kiss Bobby and he just totally lost it on her. I mean, come on, _everyone_ knows he's hung up over that creepy Allerdyce kid." She shook her head, curls tickling the skin at Bucky's collar, and he swallowed thickly. St John Allerdyce was a smartmouthed little shit of a Slytherin third year, and he'd lost count of the amount of times he'd heard Tasha and Maria bitching about him. What Bobby saw in the douche, Bucky would never know; from what he knew, Drake was actually a pretty good kid.

"Damn, Allerdyce is gonna set her on fire one of these days," he remarked, shaking his head. The kid was always seen playing with some sort of conjured flame, and had gotten in trouble for it more than once.

"Definitely. But ah, well. You learn, you grow." Darcy shrugged, finishing off her nail polish with an exaggerated flick of the wrist, neatly capping the bottle and tossing it into her bag. Stretching out her bare feet to rest on the coffee table, she moved Bucky's arm until she could tuck herself underneath it, oblivious to his racing pulse as she made herself comfortable. "And maybe once she's learned, she'll notice that Piotr is nuts about her and she should jump on that because _damn_ that boy has muscles."

"Darce, Piotr is in _my_ year," Bucky pointed out, but it didn't seem to bother the younger girl.

"Yeah, and he's totally crazy about Kitty. I mean, yeah, the age gap is a little squicky now, but… it's only one more year than Thor and Loki, when you think about it. When she's seventeen, he'll be twenty, that's not so bad." Bucky shrugged, dropping the subject; if Piotr wanted to crush on a third year, that was totally not his problem. "Hell, I kissed Fandral when I was in third year and he was in fifth. Totally not a big deal." Blinking, Bucky turned to look at her, startled by the flare of jealousy that rose in his gut.

"What? How did I not know about this? When?" Darcy laughed, a grin at her lips.

"Oh, come on, you were still way too busy macking on any girl who sat still for ten minutes back then, of course you didn't know about it. It was the day after the Yule Ball; I had a crazy crush on him back then and we spent half of the night dancing and having fun, but the day after he was all 'I'm gonna be sixteen and you're still young but you shall grow into a wondrous young warrior woman' and shit. You know how he is. We kissed, we laughed, we moved on. Now we're bros. I told you, no big deal." Bucky scowled, not liking the idea that Fandral had stolen a kiss from his girl. Even if it had been two years ago and she wasn't even his girl. "Oh my God, Buckeroo, stop with the grumpy face. I know you boys get all protective and big-brother-y, but seriously, it was nothing. And I'm gonna date eventually, y'know? You guys can't keep me in this little bubble forever." Bucky tensed at her words, not wanting to even consider the prospect of her dating. If she got a boyfriend, he didn't know how he'd stand it. A strange, choked noise escaped his throat as he simultaneously decided to both tell her and keep quiet, and he covered it with a cough, cheeks reddening.

"I think Thor would go nuts if you ever got a boyfriend," he joked, trying to deflect. Darcy snorted, leaning forward to check if her polish was dry, then pulling her socks back on and curling up beneath his arm once more. Bucky just hoped she didn't notice how much he was blushing.

"Thor can suck it," she retorted, rolling her eyes. "But speaking of boyfriends and whatnot, what's up with this dry spell of yours, man? How am I supposed to live vicariously through you when you're not doing anything fun?" He coughed once more, shifting a little awkwardly.

"I haven't had a dry spell!" he denied, only making her snort.

"Dude, you totally have," she insisted. "You haven't told me about a girl since school got back, and Steve said you didn't see anyone over the summer. That's gotta be a record for you." Bucky wondered when Steve had been talking to Darcy about what he got up to in the summer; he'd have to have a word with his friend.

"Maybe I don't want meaningless sex anymore," he tried, and she laughed.

"Yeah, right. Pull the other one, Romeo."

"I'm serious!" he protested. "Maybe I'm bored of hooking up with random girls just for the fun of it. Hell, it's hard not to want a relationship when you're surrounded by lovebirds all the fucking time," he added wryly. Movie nights were becoming almost unbearable, what with half of his friend group spending the evening trying to get as close to sex as possible without anyone else noticing, and Darcy so close but so far away. He'd lost count of the amount of aborted attempts to hold her hand or put an arm around her he'd made during those evenings.

"Aww, Bucky-baby, are you lonely?" she asked, only half teasing. He flushed red, and her eyes widened. "Oh my God, you like someone!" Freezing in panic, he shook his head, trying to deny it, but she didn't take the bait. "You _totally_ do. Who is she? Come on, tell me. Tell me, tell me, tell me, tellmetellme." Her words cut off abruptly as Bucky pressed his lips to hers, one hand on her shoulder while the other was clenched at his side, a tirade of curses running through his head as he prayed he hadn't just fucked everything up. She was clearly too stunned to do anything but sit there, and when he pulled back her eyes were wide and her lips were still puckered a little. "Oh."

"Yeah," he mumbled, regret flooding him by the second. "Sorry. I, uh. Yeah."

"Don't apologise," she insisted, still looking shocked. "But, just… what the hell was that?" Bucky snorted, unable to help himself.

"Isn't it obvious?" he retorted wryly, voice soft. His hand was still on her shoulder, and he softened his grip, though couldn't bring himself to actually take it away. "It doesn't have to mean anything, if you don't want it to. We can pretend it never happened and move on. But, uh, I sort-of really like you, and I was wondering if you might wanna go out with me sometime." He could feel his heart battering against his ribs so hard he thought they might break, and Darcy stared back at him with surprised grey eyes.

"Seriously? You're not just messing with me?" He frowned, thumb rubbing gentle circles on her arm through the sleeve of her shirt.

"Why would I mess with you, Darce? Yes, seriously. But like I said, you can pretend I never said anything and I'll shut up and get on with my life, I promise, I don't want to make you uncomfortable or any—" This time it was his turn to be cut off by a kiss, and he made a muffled exclamation, needing several seconds to process what was happening. _Darcy was kissing him back_. Not quite sure what was going on but unwilling to argue, he slid a hand up into her hair and kissed back, wanting to make the most of it if it was a one-time thing. He didn't think Darcy would give him a pity-kiss, but Darcy was never predictable.

When they parted, she gave him a shy smile, her hand on his neck and their faces inches apart. "I've been wanting to do that since Tony's birthday party," she told him, sounding faintly breathless. "When you walked me back to my dorm even though you were drunk as hell and meant to be meeting up with one of your girls. But I didn't want to do anything either of us would regret, and… I didn't think you'd be interested."

"Tony's party?" he repeated, remembering the night well. Going back to find whatever-her-name-was and sneak off for a quickie had been almost a chore after the peck on the cheek Darcy had given him to say goodnight. "But that was months ago. Why didn't you say anything?" She snorted softly, giving him a look.

"Bucky, everyone else in our group seems to think of me as their baby sister. Why should I think you'd be any different?" Her fingers brushed his throat as her hand moved to his chest, and she smiled quickly at him. He grinned back, hand sliding down to rest at the top of her spine.

"Would you go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?" he asked hopefully. Her smile widened, and she nodded.

"I'd love to. But I'll warn you now, you try anything funny and I'll kick your ass, got it? I'm not gonna be like all your other girls." Her eyes were playful, but he knew she wasn't kidding about hexing him for overstepping his bounds. He laughed, pulling her in closer so her head was on his chest, like he wanted to do every time she leaned into him. She just snuggled closer, wrapping an arm around his waist, and he kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," he murmured, unable to shake the smile on his his face. "I wouldn't want you to be."

He couldn't wait to tell Steve. Telling Thor, however, could wait a while.


	60. Y7: Counting Down

_**Title:**__ Counting Down_  
_**Summary:**__ It's New Year's Eve, and Peggy can't help but ponder what the next year will bring. Not that her friends let her for long._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2720_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Bruce/Tony, Bucky/Darcy, Thor/Loki, Tasha/Hill, Clint/Coulson_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

The group had all decided to stay at Hogwarts over the winter holidays, for one last school Christmas together, and the school was practically empty but for them. Peggy enjoyed the peace and quiet for once; there were only three other Gryffindors staying for the holidays, and they were all below third year and absolutely petrified of the older students. It made for a common room almost all to themselves, which was a rare event.

The only thing that could have made Christmas better for her would have been the presence of her boyfriend, but he'd gone home to his family. It wasn't really right to expect him to stay with her; they'd hardly been together long. After breaking up with her previous boyfriend at the end of last year — neither of them had really thought the relationship would last with him graduated, and didn't want to tie each other down — she was mostly staying casual in her dating life. After all, while the majority of her friends seemed to have found 'the one' still in Hogwarts, she thought she had a while to go yet.

"Hey there, beautiful." She rolled her eyes at Bucky's greeting, expression softening as she failed to glare at him. He'd been on cloud nine since getting together with Darcy; they really suited each other. Even Thor hadn't been able to contest it after seeing how they were together, though he still liked to glower ominously at Bucky every now and then. Just as a reminder of what he would face should he break Darcy's heart.

"Evening, you. What brings you to my little corner, then?" she queried lightly, shuffling over on the sofa to make room for him. They weren't actually in the common room for once, but the Room of Requirement. It was New Year's Eve, and Tony had insisted they gather for the occasion. To avoid Fury's wrath at the mess they would make, the Room seemed like the best choice.

"You look thoughtful, and you haven't got a drink in your hand. I figured I'd fix both those things," he replied, offering her a glass of something fizzing. No idea what it was, she drank regardless, the alcohol burning on its way down her throat. "What's up?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just… trying not to imagine what next year's festivities will be like," she said with the faintest frown. Bucky snorted, pecking her temple.

"Haven't you heard? Stark's Christmas Extravaganza. It's a thing now. We all have invites to their place for next year," the younger teen informed her promptly, grinning. "So don't you worry your pretty little head about it, and come join in the fun. Darce is dancing circles around me, so I could use a partner while she shows off with Tony." Glancing over at their little dance floor, Peggy couldn't help but smile at the sight of Darcy and Tony performing a very impressive jive in the middle of the floor, both grinning.

"I suppose I could oblige, then." Downing the rest of her drink, Peggy got to her feet and took Bucky's hand in his, allowing him to lead the way.

"Ooh, we've got some competition!" Darcy crowed as she saw them approach, Tony flipping her over his shoulder with ease.

"Oh, no!" Bucky called back, shaking his head. "We couldn't even begin to beat you, sweetheart. Leave me be!" She laughed, blowing him a kiss, and Peggy stood opposite Bucky for a much easier dance. Bruce and Steve were dancing close by, arms draped loosely around each other as they swayed out of time with the music, completely lost in each other and watching Tony dance. Clint and Phil seemed to be eagerly getting a headstart on the holiday traditions; midnight wouldn't strike for another fifteen minutes, but they were attached at the lips and didn't seem to be pulling apart any time soon.

"Where's Fandral?" she asked curiously, not spotting the blonde in with Thor's group over at the table, playing drinking games.

"Stepped outside to call a girl. Or a guy. Whoever his current one is," Bucky replied, rolling his eyes with an amused smile. Peggy laughed, shaking her head.

"One day, he'll find someone who lasts longer than three weeks," she mused ruefully. She didn't count on that happening anytime soon, though. He seemed perfectly happy sharing his love with whoever might want it.

The song ended, and Darcy and Tony took their bows to a round of applause, both grinning widely. Tony kissed Darcy's cheek and wandered over to situate himself between his two lovers, hand slipping down to pinch Steve's ass through his jeans. Darcy bounded towards Peggy and Bucky, winding an arm around her boyfriend's waist. "Hey, you two having fun?" she asked brightly, leaning into Bucky's side. He grinned at her, arm draping across her shoulders.

"You bet. We don't all need fancy moves to have a good time dancing," he teased, earning an elbow to the ribs.

"He's just jealous," Darcy insisted, winking at Peggy, who laughed. "Hey, Pegs, you wanna come with me to give Loki and Sif a little encouragement?" The Slytherin boy was sat at Thor's side, and looked to be losing abysmally at whatever drinking game they were playing. Sif seemed to be holding her own, but was still starting to sway in her seat. "I'd ask Jane but she's doing that whole sober thing again." Every now and then, Jane decided she was going to give up alcohol and eat healthy and start running laps around the lake in her free time. It only ever lasted about three weeks at a time, but had unfortunately coincided with Christmas this year. Peggy was impressed the Ravenclaw had held strong through Christmas dinner, though, with the amount of food and cake the house elves had sent up, and the amount of alcohol Tony had procured for the festive season.

"By encouragement you mean twisting the rules of the game to get all the other boys even more drunk, don't you?" Peggy presumed, making Darcy's grin widen.

"Absolutely! You in or what?" Laughing, Peggy nodded, tucking a stray curl of hair behind her ear.

"Why not? Bucky, you coming?" The teen shook his head, smiling.

"Nah, I'll leave you ladies to it. I'm gonna go see if Rhodey wants to play me. Stay out of trouble, you." He ducked his head to kiss Darcy briefly, laughing as she smacked him on the ass to send him on his way towards where Rhodey and Tasha were having an epic video game battle, Maria cheering her girlfriend on. Looping her arm through Darcy's, Peggy led the way to the table, ducking around Tony as he led Pepper in some over-exaggerated dance moves, having been told off by Bruce for trying to undress him in public.

"Fair maidens!" Thor boomed in greeting, a wide grin on his face. "Have you come to join us in our quest for inebriation!" Giggling, Peggy and Darcy slipped into the gap the boys obligingly made for them between Loki and Volstagg. "Fandral has departed from us, but you may claim his place in battle should you wish!"

"He said not to give his place away, Thor," Loki reminded, slurring slightly. "He shall only be gone a few moments."

"Little serpent, he forfeited his place the moment he left the table in carnal pursuit!" Sif retorted, wiggling her eyebrows. "Besides, he should be duly occupied until the bells ring, should his beau have his way." Peggy laughed, leaning against Volstagg's shoulder as a shot glass of something violently red and smoking was placed in front of her, another handed to Darcy.

"I'll pass on the games, I'm afraid, but I'm perfectly willing to watch in support," she insisted, necking back the shot regardless. Smoke began to pour from her nose, and her stomach felt warm, a lingering taste of cinnamon on her tongue.

"I'm in, what are we playing?" Darcy asked instantly, a competitive smirk on her face. Glancing over at Loki, Peggy shared an eye-roll with the younger boy over their friend's head. No doubt Darcy would end up even worse than the boys before midnight struck. At least she could stay the night in the Room.

Letting the rules of the drinking game wash over her — they didn't seem to make sense to anyone who wasn't already drunk — Peggy leaned back in her chair, looking up at the large digital clock on the wall above the television. Seven minutes to midnight. Bucky seemed to be getting his ass well and truly kicked by Clint, who had surfaced for air and was sat in Phil's lap on the couch with controller in hand, the older Hufflepuff chatting with Natasha and Maria. Rhodey had joined Pepper with the boys on the dance floor, though not much dancing was going on, a tipsy Tony propped up between his two sober boyfriends. Neither of them could get drunk, what with Bruce's werewolf metabolism and Steve's super-serum abilities, so Tony had apparently taken it upon himself to drink on behalf of all three of them.

A door to the side of the room opened, and Fandral slipped in, a smug grin on his face as he slipped his phone into his pocket. His eyebrows rose when he saw the two girls had joined their table, and he reclaimed his seat between Peggy and Volstagg, smiling. "Evening, ladies."

"Do your trousers up, dear, you look a mess," Peggy teased, watching his cheeks redden as he looked down to see his flies undone. Zipping them up quickly, he opened his mouth to retort, then closed it, a wry smile on his face. "Good call, then?"

"Indeed. Marcus was… most happy to see my face." She snorted, nudging his shoulder.

"I'm sure it wasn't your face he was so happy about," the girl joked knowingly. His blush deepened, but he winked.

"Are you not calling your partner this evening?" Peggy shook her head, accepting the shot Thor thrust towards her.

"No, I called him earlier today, he's at a party with his family." Looking up at the clock, she frowned at how close it was to midnight. "We should get ready for the countdown." Darcy heard her, and leaned over Loki to tap Thor on the shoulder, directing his attention to the clock.

"Friends!" he exclaimed, voice carrying over the background music and drawing the attention of everyone gathered. Bucky and Clint paused their game, glancing over. "It is nearly time to declare the start of a new year! We must gather in preparation!" He stood, almost falling flat on his face as soon as he did so, and Peggy couldn't help but snicker as she slipped out of her seat, Darcy helping Loki out behind them. The Slytherin was wobbly, but latched onto Thor's waist, and the two of them held each other up on their way to sit in front of the television.

"I'll get you next time, Hawkeye!" Bucky declared, jabbing a finger at Clint as they had to switch their game off, turning the TV over to one of the muggle news channels Tony had rigged it up to so they could watch the fireworks in London.

"You wish!" Clint retorted, nearly falling out of Phil's lap as the sofa extended to make room for more people, curving around so they were all facing the TV. Darcy jumped over the back of it easily, landing beside Bucky and snuggling into his side as if she'd been doing it her whole life. It amazed Peggy a little bit at how natural they were together, despite having only been together a couple of months. Not much had even changed in their relationship except Bucky no longer got with random girls, and he and Darcy could frequently be found making out somewhere, or walking with their arms around each other. Other than that, they were pretty much the same, which made Peggy realise how close they had been to dating to begin with. How had she not noticed her friend's feelings sooner?

"All right! Two minutes to go, is everyone ready?" Tony called, grinning wolfishly from where he was sat between Bruce and Steve. "All got someone to smooch at midnight?" Peggy rolled her eyes, sharing an exasperated look with Pepper, who was beside her.

"Not everyone needs to kiss someone, Tony," the redhead pointed out, merely earning a wink.

"No, but it helps! I bet Pegs would be willing to oblige, that would totally be hot." Peggy laughed, folding her arms over her chest.

"If you want to watch girls kissing, Stark, I suggest you keep a better eye on Tasha and Maria. Besides, won't you be too busy to see who's kissing who?" she retorted with an arched brow. His smirk widened, and he slid one hand off Steve's shoulder and up to tangle in his blonde hair.

"Oh, you bet I will, sweetheart. But whatever, your loss. Come on, it's starting." They looked back at the screen, where the timer on the TV was showing there was less than a minute to go before midnight. Looking around, Peggy couldn't help but grin at the group she had surrounded herself with, knowing that even though the next year would see them separated by graduation, there was no way they'd ever drift apart. Seven years ago, before she'd even _heard_ of Hogwarts, she'd never have dreamed she could meet such a close group of friends in high school. Everyone else she knew, her brother and all his friends, had only kept in touch with maybe one or two people after graduating. It was ridiculous how she'd ended up with so many friends for life, but she wouldn't have it any other way. The timer flashed red, and Peggy grinned, joining in with her friends in shouting out as they counted down to midnight.

"Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Almost immediately as the fireworks went off, the room was full of kissing couples. Phil cupped Clint's cheek as he pulled him close, holding him as tenderly as he always did, and Tony, Steve and Bruce were executing some impressive three-way making-out skills. Maria's fingers were tangled in fiery red hair as she and Natasha kissed, Bucky and Darcy lost in their own little world beside them, and Loki was on Thor's lap, their lips pressed together as the blonde's large arms held the Slytherin tight. She saw Volstagg and Hogun both lean in to kiss Sif and Jane on the cheeks simultaneously, and laughed at the smacking kiss Fandral bestowed on a startled Rhodey. Looking to Pepper, the Gryffindor smirked, giving a quick glance towards Tony.

"Shall we, while he's still occupied?" she asked teasingly, making the redhead laugh.

"He'll be sore he missed it," she agreed, leaning in to briefly peck Peggy on the lips, completely platonic. They both blinked at the flash of light that happened when their lips touched, and Tony pulled away from his partners, exclaiming triumphantly and camera in hand.

"Aha! Now I have proof forever!" he declared, waving the camera. "Self-setting camera, has motion sensors and can be charmed to seek out specific things, like kissing, for example." Peggy and Pepper merely laughed, and Steve rolled his eyes, fingers curling around Tony's collar to pull him back in.

"Shut up and kiss us again, you moron," he muttered fondly, not giving him a chance to respond before he and Bruce were on him once more. Giggling, Pepper nudged Peggy's shoulder with her own, a grin on her face.

"Something tells me we'll never live that photo down," she mused, and Peggy smirked.

"Oh, I don't know. I think we should be rather proud of it," she joked. "Now come on, someone needs to break out the champagne and it's definitely not going to be these barbarians," she added, gesturing to the empty spirit bottles and beer cans littered about. Pepper snorted, getting to her feet, and Peggy followed with an unshakeable smile on her face. Whatever changes the next year would bring, she knew she could face them as long as some things stayed the same. And this was definitely one thing that was staying the same, no matter what.


	61. Y7: New Blood

_**Title:**__ New Blood_  
_**Summary:**__ Tony would much rather be sleeping with his boyfriends than heading to detention, but unfortunately he doesn't get that option. Being attacked in the corridor doesn't help._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 1764_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Bruce/Tony, onesided Peter/Gwen_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

"Tony. Tony, c'mon, you're going to be late." Tilting his head towards the fingers running through his hair, Tony groaned, refusing to open his eyes. "Come on, sweetheart, wake up. You have detention, remember?" At Steve's words, the Ravenclaw's eyes snapped open. Of course! Damn it, he was so late! Sitting bolt upright, he clearly startled Steve, who jerked back.

"Shit, thank you for waking me, I love you. Crap, when did I fall asleep?" Steve chuckled as he watched Tony rush about the dorm, looking for the work he'd set aside to do in detention. Really, they were just becoming like forced study sessions, now. Tony paused when the blonde held out an arm, squeezing his shoulder gently. In his other hand he held Tony's school satchel, bulging with textbooks and notebooks and his laptop.

"Everything is in here," Steve promised, leaning in for a kiss. "You've been asleep about an hour now, Bruce went to go help Tasha with some homework but he said he'll be back before curfew. See you later, yeah?" Tony hummed into the kiss, pulling him closer.

"Sorry I fell asleep on you," he started, only to be waved off with a fond smile.

"It's fine; you needed the sleep. Now go, before Selvig decides to keep you late. Love you," Steve added, smoothing Tony's sleep-messed hair. Ducking in for one last kiss, Tony reluctantly pulled away from his blonde boyfriend and grabbed the offered bag, rushing from the dorm. Practically falling down the stairs, he ran out of the common room, slowing to a jog when he was in the corridors. The last thing he wanted was to be docked points by a prefect for running in the halls. Too tired to continue jogging, he started to walk. Steve had woken him with enough time, thank Merlin. He couldn't help but feel guilty, though; he'd promised they could spend the evening together and yet all he'd done was sleep.

Checking his watch and stifling a yawn, Tony cursed to himself. He was cutting it close, and Professor Selvig would kill him if he was late to detention. He'd spent the night down in the forest with Bruce and Steve for the full moon, and he was exhausted. Usually there were two or three others around to help deal with some of Bruce's wolf energy, but with everyone so busy with work Bruce had insisted they not put themselves out on his behalf. He almost hadn't let Steve and Tony join him, but they refused to let him spend the moon alone. At least Steve had his super-serum abilities to keep him from feeling the exhaustion so much.

Rubbing at his eyes to try and wake himself up, and wishing he'd had time for one more cup of coffee before he left Ravenclaw, Tony cursed as his wrist was hit with something white, sending him slamming against the wall. Looking around, he was assaulted with another one, pinning his other wrist to the wall. It was a sticky, ropey substance, almost like a spider's web, and a brief attempt at a spell proved it to be magic resistant. Another burst of webbing hit his ankles, drawing a shout of pain from his lips as his legs were forced against the wall, leaving him about an inch off the ground. He tugged at his arms and legs, trying to break free, but whatever the webbing was made of it was damn strong. "Seriously, what the fuck, I do not have time for this. If this is you, Barton, it's not fucking funny!"

There didn't seem to be anyone in the corridor, and Tony wondered if it was a proximity-released prank. If it was, he could be waiting there for a while. Selvig was going to skin him alive and give him to Pym for potion ingredients, for sure. "C'mon, you've had your fun, now let me go before I end up with another week of detention." He couldn't even get his wand out to try a little stronger magic; his wandless was good, but not nearly as good as his usual standard.

"Another week? What did you do this time?" The voice was amused, and not familiar, but Tony put a face to it as a scrawny Ravenclaw second year rounded the corner, his expression irritatingly smug.

"Parker? Seriously?" Tony groaned, slightly ashamed that twelve year-old Peter Parker had gotten one up on him. That wouldn't have happened if he'd been fully awake. "What the hell, kid. I have shit to do, let me down."

"Hang on a minute," Parker replied, still smirking. "I just wanna look at this a while longer. The infamous Tony Stark, incapacitated by a second year. I didn't think it'd actually work, y'know? I figured you'd have a shield up or something; I haven't got the webbing to work through shield spells yet. I'm working on it."

"I usually do," the older Ravenclaw grumbled, his shoulders starting to ache. He was all for bondage in the bedroom, but in the middle of a stone-walled corridor was taking it a little far. "I've slept about three hours in the past five days, now let me the fuck down so I can get this detention over with and go back to bed." With homework, his extra-curricular experimentation, and the mountain of work he had to do for Stark Industries what with the preparation for him coming to work there full-time, he'd been running on reserve even before he kept Bruce company. Stupid Hogan, giving him detention with Selvig for napping in class. He hadn't minded before NEWT year. Besides, it was a theory lesson, and Tony had already taken his DADA theory exam the year before. All he had left was the practical.

"Oh," Parker murmured, looking somewhat crestfallen. Obviously knowing Tony wasn't at the top of his game took some of the wind out of his sails. "Wow. Sorry, man. It was just a bit of fun."

"Yeah, well, not today. Why me, anyway? Presuming you were aiming for me and not just some random person." Parker shrugged, one hand running through his already messy hair.

"Well, you needed to know sooner or later. Seeing as I'll be taking your crown and all." Tony raised an eyebrow, and the boy grinned. "You're graduating, you and half your friends, and in two years all of your group will be out of this castle. It's time for a new reign of pranksters, y'know? And like hell am I gonna let it be freaking Allerdyce and his crew." He puffed out his chest a little, grin widening. "This is just the beginning. We have all sorts of ideas; Fury thought you guys were bad, but he'll be begging you to come back once he's faced with us."

"That's your angle? Okay, sure, I can get with that. The more people keeping old one-eye on his toes after I'm gone, the better, as far as I'm concerned. But I hope you realise you need to prove you're good enough. Can't have just anyone ruling this school like we do." Smirking, Tony forced as much raw magic as he could muster into his right wrist, grinning in triumph when the hardening webbing cracked down the middle at the overload. Flicking his wand from its holster, he freed himself from the rest, holding up the substance for inspection. "Not bad. Where'd you get it?"

"I made it," Parker replied proudly. "Took a while, but totally worth it." Tony hummed, duly impressed; for a second year, it truly was good work.

"Well, short stuff; challenge accepted. Let's see if you've got what it takes. Now you said you're not working on your own, so I'd assume you, that Osborn kid, and… Gwen Stacy, maybe?" Those were the two he usually saw Parker interacting with Stacy was a Ravenclaw too, but Osborn was in Slytherin, and from what he'd heard from Tasha the kid caused almost as much trouble as Allerdyce did. He couldn't help but smirk as Parker's cheeks reddened at the blonde girl's name; looked like someone had a little crush.

"Just me and Harry, for now. Gwen, uh, I, she's not interested," the kid mumbled, sheepish. Tony reached out and ruffled his hair, just to annoy him, grinning.

"You try your best, squirt; I guarantee my friends and I will do better. But it should be entertaining to watch you try." Letting his grin turn cocky, he eyed the shorter boy. "Tell your friend Harry to watch his step. And hey, if you can make this stuff now, you might actually not be completely incompetent when you're all grown up and wearing big boy pants." Reaching into his inner robe pocket, he pulled out a business card, offering it over. "Give Stark Industries a call when you're graduated, we could use you in R&D. And good luck with the whole reign of chaos thing. I'm not bragging, but you've got _pretty_ big shoes to fill." Parker took the card with wide eyes, looking up at him in astonishment.

"Seriously? Wow, awesome! Thanks!" He paused, then frowned sheepishly. "Didn't you say something about detention?" Tony swore loudly, grabbing his bag from where he'd dropped it during the ambush.

"Shit. Shit, I am so very late. You are going down, kid! Sleep with one eye open!" His voice echoed as he called down the corridor, already running towards Selvig's classroom as Parker laughed in response. Skidding to a halt in front of the door, he took a second or two to compose himself, knocking and hoping the man would let him off. Selvig was sometimes okay about Tony's detentions; at least the ones he got for slacking off in class. Having been Tony's housemaster for nearly seven years, he understood the billionaire's short attention span.

Stepping inside the classroom, Tony was already thinking of suitable retaliations for Parker's attack. Nothing too big; he was only a little kid, after all. He'd talk to Clint and Natasha about it, see what they could come up with. They hadn't had a good prank war in a long time, not since exams and thoughts of graduation and careers had started taking over their lives. It could be fun.

And Peter Parker would learn to regret messing with a sleep-deprived, caffeine-deprived, sex-deprived Tony Stark. After all, he and his friends had their reputation for a reason. And in the mean time, well, Tony would keep an eye out for any suspicious-looking spider webs.


	62. Y7: Caught in the Act

_**Title:**__ Caught in the Act_  
_**Summary:**__ Phil and Maria hate night patrol on a normal night; the rest of the school didn't seem to get the memo, this particular time._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2568_  
_**Pairings:**__ Clint/Coulson, Tasha/Maria, Darcy/Bucky, Thor/Loki_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

Hogwarts was silent as Phil and Maria wandered through the corridors, their way lit by their wand tips. It was well past curfew and they were on patrol. The pair of them weren't technically meant to patrol together — the idea was to have at least one of them on common room duty at any one time — but they had all learnt very quickly that if they took the same patrol times, Clint and Tasha would keep each other out of trouble rather than one of them causing chaos out of boredom. And that way the younger pair could hang out together without feeling like they were neglecting their partners. The other prefects didn't mind, so no one really bothered to argue the change in the traditional system.

Pausing at the sound of muffled groans, Phil glanced to Maria, whose eyes were fixed on the tapestry just ahead; the tapestry they knew covered a secret passage. Sighing to himself, the Hufflepuff stepped forward and reached out to the tapestry, pulling it back to find a pair of Gryffindor fifth years involved in a little extracurricular activity. The girl gasped as she spotted him, scrabbling at her partner's shoulders. He clearly thought she was just getting more into it, thrusting into her, and Phil cleared his throat pointedly. "Ten points from Gryffindor, each," he told them bluntly, forcing himself not to laugh at the expression on the young man's face. Clearly neither of them would be getting off tonight, in any way. Hell, Phil would be surprised if they ever managed to have sex again after the trauma of being caught by both the Head Boy and Head Girl. "Put your pants on and get to bed. If I catch you again, you'll both be in detention."

"Uh, yes, sir," the boy stammered, clearly too stunned to do anything but stare in horror. Phil let the tapestry fall back, not wanting to watch the boy attempt to pull out and get his trousers back on. Staying in the corridor until the pair had vacated the tapestry, Phil watched them run off back to Gryffindor and shook his head. That was the fifth pair they'd caught that night.

"At least Clint and I are discreet whenever we're outside the dorms or the Room," he muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets and carrying on with the patrol. They had better sense than that; the only places they had sex in 'public' were in passages or rooms they knew the majority of people didn't know about. And they _always_ used soundproofing charms.

"I know, right? Some people have no imagination," Maria remarked. "People are idiots." Humming in agreement, Phil started up the stairs to the next floor, Maria at his side.

The Transfiguration corridor was, luckily, empty, and Phil hoped it was too cold for people to consider the Astronomy Tower a good place for a late night rendezvous. Really, it was getting ridiculous the amount of couples he'd had to eject from there in his career as a prefect. "Ugh, this had better be quick," Maria groused. "Tasha and I haven't had a night off since Christmas break, it's driving me crazy."

"I know the feeling. If Clint and I didn't have two matching free periods a week, we'd be getting serious blue-balls by now," he returned emphatically. Those two free periods were a godsend, though he knew they'd soon have to start devoting them to actual studying. Trying to get regular sex during NEWT year was clearly a futile effort.

"Jealous," Maria declared enviously. "We have to wait for lunch breaks half the time. I already can't wait for Easter break." Phil nodded, pausing when he saw the door to the Room of Requirement was in plain view, his brow furrowing.

"Darce and Bucky?" he guessed, but Maria shook her head.

"No, Darcy has a thing on with some Hufflepuffs tonight, Bucky was whining about it when we studied earlier." Heading down the corridor, they knocked on the door, and Maria only waited a few seconds before pushing it open. The room inside was cosy and warm, a roaring fireplace against the far wall. A small couch sat opposite it, and snuggled up together on it were Thor and Loki, looking dishevelled and quite comfortable. They both glanced up at the intrusion, and Thor smiled sheepishly.

"My friends," he greeted. "I had forgotten you were on patrol tonight. Apologies for breaking curfew, but… it is difficult to get privacy in this castle." Phil couldn't really begrudge them a date night; it was a Friday, and he knew how hard it was for the pair to get time to themselves between their two sets of roommates. Loki's dormmates were assholes, and as much as Thor loved his, he could hardly expect them all to leave and allow him to have the room to himself. Besides, he and Clint had used the room past curfew more than once, before he'd gotten the private room. Not everyone could be so lucky.

"We'll let you off, but don't make a habit of it. Have a good night, you two," he added, smiling. Loki smiled back slightly, his hand still on Thor's chest and clearly going to undo his shirt.

"Our thanks, Son of Coul. May you both have a good evening as well," the Slytherin replied, already turning back to his boyfriend. Closing the door behind him, Phil was satisfied when it disappeared after a moment, and turned to Maria, a grin slowly crossing his face. The Slytherin girl giggled, setting Phil off, and the pair were laughing quietly as they walked away from the door.

"We shouldn't laugh," Maria murmured, though that didn't stop her. "They weren't naked or anything, but… God, it's our night tonight, isn't it?" On a normal night, they only caught maybe one or two people out of bounds. Finding six couples in a night was unheard of.

"I don't dare think of what the Astronomy Tower is like," he confessed, running a hand through his hair. Maria bit her lip, pausing.

"Think we should leave it and call it a night?" she suggested quietly. He glanced at his watch; they weren't meant to finish for another hour. But it would mean an extra hour with Clint in which neither of them had to work… and did Fury really care if students were screwing in the Astronomy Tower?

"Definitely. What Fury doesn't know won't hurt him, and I could _really_ use the break." Maria smirked, clearly well aware of what he'd be using that break for.

"I won't tell if you don't." With that sorted, they turned back to the main staircase, heading back to Hufflepuff and Slytherin respectively. Clint and Tasha would be in one of the two; they could send the other out back to their own house when they found them.

Splitting from Maria after a brief hug goodnight, Phil smiled to himself as he imagined the look of surprise on Clint's face when he came back from patrol early. It was a Friday, as well; they could stay up late and get a lie-in before starting on their homework for the weekend. Perfect.

.-.-.

In the Room of Requirement, Loki made absolutely sure to think of the door to the room disappearing, smiling when it melted away into the wall. "We were careless," he murmured, and Thor smiled abashedly.

"I cannot help it; you drive all other thoughts from my mind," he replied, completely sincere, making the Slytherin smile and lean in for a kiss.

"My mind is much the same around you," he confessed. "But at least Phil and Maria will not taunt us… much." He could expect some teasing, from the Slytherin at least, but of all the people that could have walked in on them they were probably the best.

"Indeed. Now, shall we put thoughts of them elsewhere and get back to our night?" Thor urged, fingers tangling in Loki's dark hair. "It is so rare for us to have time where we do not have to hide and deny ourselves." Loki hummed in agreement, leaning into his boyfriend's touch as he fiddled with the shirt buttons at his throat. Christmas had been a blessing for them, having almost no one but their friends around for the whole four weeks, being able to express themselves freely without fear of ridicule. Now, they could only get that when alone, or when with their friends in private. Still, after an entire summer of having to pretend they held nothing but brotherly affection for each other, it was more than they could hope for.

They had both agreed it was suicide to let their parents find out about their relationship until Thor had graduated and taken ownership of the family home in London; just in case they reacted unfavourably, as Loki and Thor both suspected Odin would. As much as Tony insisted he would put them up should they be cast out, they couldn't intrude on his hospitality forever. At least Odin couldn't disown his only heir. "I am dreading Easter, I must confess," Loki said quietly, undoing another button on Thor's shirt to reveal more tanned flesh. "Must we go home for the break?"

"We promised Mother we would," Thor pointed out, frowning. The hand that wasn't in Loki's hair slid up the back of his shirt, and the younger teen couldn't help but arch into the touch. "She spent Christmas without us, and if the worst happens we will see her far less than we do now. It is the least we can do." Sighing, Loki tilted his head up for a kiss, Thor's lips moving languidly against his. He could still hardly believe they were together, that he finally had what he'd dreamed of for years. Sometimes, when he was alone with Thor like this, it felt like a fantastic dream he would wake from at any moment.

"I think she knows," he murmured, watching the blonde's eyebrows rise. "Before we left, at the beginning of the year, she came to my room and talked with me. She said I should do what makes me happy regardless of other peoples' opinions, and she would always love me as a son no matter what. I cannot think of what else I might have done to garner a talk such as that." Thor's lips curved into a grin, and hope shone visibly in his eyes. They both knew they would lose Odin's favour — not that Loki had it — as soon as their relationship became public, but Loki knew Thor hoped deeply he would still have his mother. Even he himself wanted to believe Frigga would not let her husband's opinions cloud her judgement of them. She was truly his mother in all but blood, and he loved her.

"If she does indeed know — and from the sound of it, she does — then it seems she is supportive. I… that is a weight off my shoulders," Thor replied, cupping Loki's neck. "I do not want to cut ties with her if I can help it."

"Nor do I," Loki assured, smiling. "But rest assured, I believe she will not desert us, even when I come of age and am no longer legally her son. She loves us." It startled him to find that he was saying that with complete certainty, about both of them. For once in his life, he _knew_ Frigga loved him. Suddenly, Thor's grin widened, and with a flex of his arms Loki was further up his chest, until they were nose to nose.

"When we marry, you will be her son once again by law," he pointed out cheekily, eyes sparkling. Loki's eyes widened, mouth opening though he could not form a response. Thor had thought about marrying him?

"When?" he repeated, trying to sound cocky and failing. "You seem awfully certain about that." Thor kept grinning, sneaking a kiss.

"I do not make a habit of denying the inevitable," he replied, perfectly confident. "For it is so, yes?" Biting his lip, Loki thought forward, trying to imagine spending his life with anyone but the impossible, hopelessly wonderful Gryffindor he had fallen so in love with. He came up blank.

"That does not count as a proposal, I hope you're aware," he pointed out, unable to hide his smile at the triumphant look that crossed his lover's face.

"I am, my raven. When we are both older, my proposal shall be far grander. There shall be no doubt in your mind that I love you." Rolling his eyes, Loki kissed the older teen, hand resting on his stubbled cheek.

"There is never doubt of that in my mind, you daft man," he insisted softly, hardly parting from the blonde. "Of all else, it is the one thing I am sure of."

"As it should be," Thor confirmed happily, tugging at Loki's tie, which was still looped around his neck. "Now, it is getting late," he added, making Loki snort.

"Subtle, Thor," he jibed wryly, watching the blonde flush. With a brief thought, the sofa they were on transformed into an expansive bed, the room shifting to accommodate the large piece of furniture.

"That was not me," Thor said hurriedly, and Loki merely laughed, fingers swiftly working Thor's shirt open the rest of the way.

"No, it was not," he agreed, leaning down for a kiss. "Like you said, it is getting late. We should go to bed." A smirk on his face, the Slytherin let a hand brush up Thor's chest, flicking his thumb over the blonde's nipple where he knew it was most sensitive, feeling him jerk in response.

"You, my raven, have the most wonderful plans." Not hesitating, Thor stripped Loki of his tie and began to undo his shirt, wriggling in an effort to help Loki remove his trousers for him. It wasn't working so well, and the dark-haired teen snickered, getting off Thor in order for them both to strip properly. As always, he marvelled over his lover's physique, amazed that he was free to touch it whenever he wanted. The only person he knew whose body could even compare was Steve Rogers; maybe this was how Stark and Banner felt.

"No one is expecting us at breakfast tomorrow, are they?" he queried, near-breathless already as Thor pinned him to the mattress, naked and hard.

"I told them not to," Thor confirmed, sucking wet kisses up Loki's neck, leaving behind a trail of dark purple marks that would no doubt linger for days.

"Good. We can take our time, then," the Slytherin murmured, pale hands grasping for purchase on Thor's shoulders as he could do nothing but lie there and feel the pleasure flooding his body. He felt Thor grin against him, and tugged on blonde hair to urge him into a kiss, feeling a hand slide down to grip his arse.

"I do love the way your mind works, my raven," Thor declared firmly, eyes dark with lust. Loki smirked, kissing him once more, rocking up into the larger teen.

"I thought you might." He reached down, wrapping long fingers around Thor's impressive length, being rewarded with a long groan of pleasure. They had all night and most of the morning, and the promise of no more interruptions; Loki was determined to make the most of it. He doubted Thor would object.


	63. Y7: Girl's Night

_**Title:**__ Girls' Night_  
_**Summary:**__ With some time together severely overdue, Jane and Darcy spend the evening hanging out in Hufflepuff. Darcy sets some of Jane's fears to rest and, of course, there's gossip._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2538_  
_**Pairings:**__ Darcy/Bucky, Thor/Loki_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

For once, they had the Hufflepuff fifth year dorm to themselves, Darcy's dormmates all out doing… something. Jane didn't know, she hadn't asked. She didn't really care to be honest, merely grateful that the room was available for her and Darcy to have some girl time. They were both sprawled out on Darcy's bed in sweats and t-shirts, the baggy Gryffindor shirt Darcy was wearing clearly stolen from her boyfriend. God, they were adorable. Jane had forgotten how sickeningly sappy new relationships were, though Darcy and Bucky couldn't really be classed as 'new' anymore.

Jane tried not to move her hand from Darcy's gentle grip, watching the younger girl carefully apply nail polish to her fingers. She didn't usually wear polish, but Darcy was bored, and it was hard to say no to her. Even the boys ended up with coloured nails sometimes; it was now becoming fairly normal for Bucky to be sporting some sort of 'manly' colour, like Gryffindor red and gold, or black. Her colour of choice today was an interesting blue-purple that looked sort of space-y, and Jane had to admit she quite liked it.

"I can't believe how long it's been since we've done this," the Hufflepuff mused. "We've been slacking on serious girl-time." Jane hummed, trying to think back to the last time she'd hung out with just Darcy on her own. There had been girls' nights with all the ladies of their group, and she'd hung out with her with some of their other friends, but they hadn't spent time just the two of them since the summer.

"I know, but, y'know. We've all been busy, and after the whole Thor thing I haven't exactly been the most active in the group," she replied wryly. Everyone had told her when her and Thor had broken up that nothing would change, and she'd wanted to believe them, but… things were different now. She never knew where she stood, with any of them, and she'd rather stay quiet than draw attention to herself and cause a problem.

"But you and Thor are cool now, right?" Darcy asked with a frown, looking up from her nail art. Jane managed a smile, nodding.

"Yeah, of course, we're fine now," she insisted, only lying a little bit. Her and Thor were truly friends again, but they hadn't spent time privately since the break-up, and tended to avoid each other in group situations without even realising it. Jane always wished she were braver, wished she could go sit with Sif and the boys without feeling like she was intruding. She missed them, but they were Thor's friends first and foremost. "But it's still not the same, y'know?" She bit her lip, thinking out her next words carefully. It was Darcy, she could trust her not to say anything to the others. "I kinda feel like I'm gonna drift out when we all graduate. I mean, I don't have a boyfriend in the group or anything, and everyone seems to be closer to each other than they are to me." Darcy's eyes widened, and she set the nail polish on the bedside table, capping it carefully before turning to Jane.

"I love you, but you're being ridiculous," she said flatly. "You're not gonna drift out, don't be stupid! I won't let you, and neither will Thor, or Bruce, or Tony. We all love you and want you around, okay? Tony wouldn't have offered you the place at SI during your apprenticeship if he didn't." She squeezed Jane's knee, giving her a grin. "Besides, there are others who aren't dating anyone in the group, and they're fine. Hell, Rhodey spends more time with his Hufflepuff friends than he does with us, but he's still part of things."

"That's different, though," Jane protested. "Rhodey and Tony have been friends since they were toddlers."

"And you and Tony have been friends since you were eleven," Darcy retorted without missing a beat. "That's not going to change, okay?" Her expression softened, and she met Jane's gaze seriously. "The only way you'll end up out of the group is if you put yourself out of it. So… don't do that, okay? I don't wanna have to hunt you down and hex you in order to hang out with you. I'll do it, too!" Jane laughed, unable to help herself, managing a small smile. When Darcy put it like that, it actually sounded believable, but she couldn't help but have her doubts.

"I'll try not to," she promised. It was the best she could manage, really. She didn't want to leave the group, she loved all her friends, but a lot of the time it felt like they wouldn't notice if she was there or not.

"You'd better not," Darcy muttered, shuffling around on the narrow single bed to wrap an arm around Jane's shoulders, hugging her tightly. "We love you, and you're stuck with us. Unfortunate, but that's life," she added, making Jane giggle as she tried not to well up. "Besides, I bet you'll find a boyfriend soon after graduation and he'll be crazy hot and super smart and Thor will be way jealous." Darcy's grin turned into a smirk, and Jane laughed, shaking her head.

"I don't want Thor jealous!" she insisted, chuckling. She wasn't even going to touch on the likelihood of her finding a hot, smart boyfriend after graduating. "I just want him to be happy." She was being honest, but she didn't say that part of her still wished he could have been happy with _her_. She was over Thor, she had moved on and seen other people and they were friends now, but… every now and then she thought about what might have been, and it hurt.

Still, she'd seen him with Loki; she never had that with him, or anything close. He looked at Loki like his entire world revolved around the Slytherin, like nothing existed when he wasn't around. He looked at Loki like Tony looked at Steve and Bruce when he thought they weren't looking; like they might disappear if he stopped, and if they did his entire life would be over. If that was true love, then, well, she and Thor hadn't been in love as she thought they had.

"But, speaking of hot boyfriends," she started, eager to change the subject. "Yours has officially broken his record." Smirking as Darcy's cheeks reddened, Jane watched the familiar sappy lovestruck look enter the Hufflepuff's eyes. Ahh, new relationships.

"And what record would that be?" she asked, feigning obliviousness. Jane nudged her shoulder, smirk widening.

"You know, the one where he's passed his mark of longest relationship," she teased. Having hit the five month mark, it was now the longest single relationship Bucky had ever been in; the only one that even came close was his first relationship, back in second year, when he barely even knew what relationships were. It was obvious to anyone who looked that the Gryffindor was completely besotted with Darcy; half the female population of the school now hated the Hufflepuff girl for taking Bucky off the market. Darcy clearly felt the same way about him, though; Jane had watched her friend secretly eyeing him for almost a year before they got together. "And longest time he's stayed celibate for someone." To be honest, it was probably the longest he'd stayed celibate full stop, since he'd first started having sex.

Darcy's blush deepened, and she twined a stray curl of hair around her finger. "That's, uh, not exactly true." Jane's jaw dropped; did that mean what she thought it meant?

"No!" she gasped, stunned. "You didn't!"

"We did," Darcy confirmed, the smile breaking through her embarrassment. "On Valentine's Day. I know it's crazy cliche and everything, but… it was a really, really amazing day, with the most perfect date, and… it felt right, y'know?"

"Oh my God!" Jane exclaimed, trying to get her head around it. Darcy — the baby of the family, her little Darcy — was no longer a virgin? "Wow. Congratulations, I guess. How was it?" She giggled at the question, but didn't take it back; Bucky had a reputation after all, and this was the first time she was able to actually ask one of his partners personally. What if it was all talk? Or if he'd been selfish through it? If he'd made Darcy's first time bad, she was going to hex him so hard he'd never be able to even think about sex again.

"Well, let's just say the rest of the girls in this school are missing out bigtime," Darcy answered, grinning. Jane actually squealed, then paused, surprised at the noise that had come out of her mouth. Only Darcy could reduce her to this. "But seriously, he was amazing. Really sweet, and he took it slow with me, and I'm just— I'm really glad it happened. And it may or may not have happened again several times since." She winked, making Jane snicker, and the Ravenclaw hugged her friend.

"Look at you, all grown up and sleeping with hot boys," she teased playfully.

"Hey!" Darcy objected, laughing. "Just the one hot boy, thank you very much! And it's about damn time, don't you think? Loki started getting laid over the summer, I had a lot of catching up to do." Her eyes widened a fraction as she remembered just who Loki was sleeping with, but Jane smiled, shaking her head slightly. They had all walked in on Thor and Loki enough times to know that there was more than just kissing and cuddling going on there.

"Still, we probably shouldn't tell the boys until Bucky is somewhere safe, hmm?" she mused, imagining the expressions on their faces when they figured out Bucky and Darcy were actually having sex. Steve would no doubt go a very, very impressive shade of red. And Thor, well… that was best not thought about.

Darcy laughed, nodding. "Yeah, I think I'll let them just continue to assume I'll stay an innocent virgin until I'm married, and probably even after them. Hell, I could have ten kids and I think Thor would still maintain I've never done more than kiss a boy." Snorting, Jane tucked her feet up underneath her, holding out a hand once more as Darcy grabbed the nail polish off the side table. She still had three more nails to do; and that was if she didn't start on the toes.

"Only Thor and the Gryffindor boys will want to believe that," she reasoned. "And maybe Phil. But the others will just tease the hell out of you, and Bucky. I mean, Merlin, imagine when Clint finds out. And Tony." Darcy groaned, shaking her head emphatically.

"They will _never_ know," she declared. "Ever. I love them to pieces but oh my God they are so embarrassing, they can never find out."

"Oh, I dunno. I think you've caught them all in enough embarrassing situations to blackmail them into shutting up about it," Jane pointed out, glad the conversation was on more lighthearted subjects than it had been at the start. Hopefully Darcy would forget about Jane's insecurities and move on with things. She could deal with them on her own.

"You kidding me? Tony Stark doesn't know the meaning of the word embarrassing," Darcy retorted with a raised eyebrow. "Nothing I could possibly say could get him to shut up."

"It will if you say it in front of Bruce and Steve," Jane told her, smiling innocently. "Because Tony might have no shame, but those two definitely do, and they'll withhold certain things in order to get him to be quiet." Darcy stared at her, then grinned, pointing at her with the nail polish brush.

"You, my friend, are devious. I love it." She paused to finish off Jane's thumb nail, humming thoughtfully. "To be fair, they might know already, I don't know. If Buck told Steve, Steve will totally have told Tony and Bruce. He can't keep a secret from them for more than two minutes."

"But Clint doesn't know and Thor doesn't know, and that's the most important thing. Unless you told Loki?" Jane queried, hoping her voice didn't waver as much as she thought it did. Why should she care if Darcy told Loki before her? She knew they were best friends.

"No, not yet, I don't know how to bring it up. Also I don't want him murdering Bucky in his sleep," Darcy added, frowning briefly. "I'll tell him, but, y'know, starting a conversation with 'hey, Loki, so Bucky and I totally did the dirty and it was awesome and you need to hear all about it' doesn't exactly sound like the best plan." Jane snickered; no, that probably wouldn't go down well.

"Just make sure you tell him before the others find out, or he'll never forgive you," she replied, casting a quick drying spell on her fingers as Darcy finished with the polish. She had to admit, it made her hands look very pretty.

"I know, I know, I'll tell him next weekend or something. But anyway, enough about him. This is a girly night, and you've had my gossip. Now it's your turn." Darcy's smirk was devilish, and Jane's eyes widened. "Did I or did I not see you hanging out with that cute blonde Ravenclaw in Bucky's year last Hogsmeade weekend?" Jane groaned, ducking her head as she felt her cheeks burn.

"I talked to him for like, five minutes! Nothing happened!" Darcy cackled, shoving her shoulder lightly.

"Uh-uh, won't slide with me. I want details, missy!" The Ravenclaw shook her head, knowing better than to insist there was nothing to tell. Though truly, it had been a short conversation about Arithmancy work. Nothing groundbreaking.

"Y'know, I think I'd much rather hear details about you and Bucky," she returned, smirking at her friend. "There are a lot of rumours about him, and I need to know if they're true." Darcy laughed, lying back on the bed with a dramatic sigh, the smirk on her lips a clear sign of where her thoughts were going.

"Oh, they're _all_ true, baby. Every last one of them." She paused, screwing up her nose. "Except that one about the STD, that one's a lie." Jane snorted, shuffling to lean back against the headboard.

"I assumed as much. So go on, spill."

"Now who's living vicariously through who?" Darcy jibed. "How the tabled have turned." Rolling her eyes, Jane nudged Darcy's hip with her foot.

"Just shut up and talk, woman," she muttered, blushing.

"Oxymoron!" Darcy objected, laughing. "But okay, okay. If I _have_ to talk about it," she sighed mock-reluctantly. Jane smirked; it was clear Darcy was just waiting for the chance to gush about her boyfriend. And fair play to her; she'd always been the one listening to the rest of them talk about their partners, it was about time she got to return the favour.

Tucking one knee up to her chest, Jane listened with a grin on her face as she found out more than she had _ever_ wanted to know about Bucky Barnes' sex life. Oh, she'd missed hanging out with Darcy.


	64. Y7: Calm Before the Storm

_**Title:**__ Calm Before the Storm_  
_**Summary:**__ Taking advantage of the near-empty castle at the end of Easter break, Steve tries not to think about how soon graduation is. Tony and Bruce are there to keep his mind off things._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 3381_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony/Bruce, Tasha/Maria, Clint/Phil, Darcy/Bucky, Thor/Loki_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

Muscles aching comfortably and pleasure still humming through his body, Steve relished in the warmth of being curled up between his two naked lovers, all three of them sated and sleepy. For once, it was a relaxed sort of sleepy, rather than the exhaustion that came with too much work and too many late nights. It was the last day of Easter break, and having finished their work with plenty of time to spare thanks to a perpetually organised Pepper, they were taking advantage of the free time. Half of their friends had gone home for the break, so there were fewer people around to care if they spent the entire day in the dorm room.

Running his fingers through Tony's hair where the Ravenclaw's head rested on his chest, he smiled to himself as a few hot pink strands stood out through the black. Residue from his prank war with Peter and Harry; the two second years had stayed over Easter and taken the chance to step up their assault, determined to show what they were made of before everyone graduated. It was kinda cute, if Steve was honest, and he knew Tony and Clint were indulging them a little. Had they truly been on their guard, the two boys never would have gotten a single prank through. But Steve was guiltily pleased to see that Fury wouldn't be getting a break even after they had all graduated; it would be good for the man to be kept on his toes.

Tearing his eyes away from Bruce's naked ass — that would only lead his mind into the gutter, and he and Bruce would need to give Tony a rest before the next round. Not everyone could have super stamina — he let his gaze trail over their room, musing that they should really tidy up. Revision notes were all over the place, and the only reason their clothes were neat was because of the house elves. They'd even brought a third wardrobe up to the room for Steve, bless them. But the floor was covered in paper and books and random scraps of machinery that Tony worked on when he got bored; all the things the elves refused to touch for fear of putting something important in the bin. Steve couldn't help but glance over at the calendar tacked to the wall above the desk, wincing at the visible countdown to graduation. Just over two months left.

Bruce and Tony were looking forward to it just like the rest of their yearmates, and Steve was happy for them and proud that they were graduating, but… every time he thought about it he just imagined returning to Hogwarts without them in September, and something inside him died. He didn't know how he'd cope; he'd be back in Gryffindor full time, even if they were right and he ended up with the Head Boy's room there, and not only would Tony and Bruce be gone but Peggy, Pepper, Thor and the guys, Phil… half of his friends would be gone. But at least he'd still have Bucky, even if his friend was a lucky bastard who would still have his girlfriend around.

A kiss was pressed to his shoulder, and he looked away from the calendar to see Bruce staring back at him, knowing concern in his eyes. "We'll visit every Hogsmeade weekend," he promised, voice soft as he held Steve tighter. Tony looked up from the blonde's chest, frowning when he realised what they were talking about. "And we'll try and visit even more often if Fury lets us."

"I've been developing some education-specific tech to bribe Fury with if he needs a little convincing," Tony piped up, resting a hand on Steve's chest. "And, if I need to bring out the big guns, an upgrade for his eye." Steve sighed, pulling them both closer and kissing them each in turn.

"I know," he murmured. "But it won't be the same. I can hardly sleep without you two around, and, well, Ravenclaw feels more like home than my own common room does," he admitted. He could hardly handle his prefect duty nights when he had to stay in Gryffindor, even when Bruce or Tony came with him.

"Ask Parker to let you in if you wanna hang out here, he thinks you're awesome," Tony mused. The genius leant up for a kiss, smoothing Steve's hair down. "The year will be over before you know it. Just look at how fast this one's gone. And think about it; Clint, Tasha and Loki will all be going through the same thing, you can hang with them and talk about how much you all miss us." Steve snorted; Tony probably didn't mean to sound as smug about that as he did.

"And, this was going to be a surprise, but…" Bruce paused, sharing a glance with Tony, who nodded. "We had Clint break us into the Gryffindor Head Boy's room. There's a huge fireplace in there, and we've been looking at the logistics of making it floo-capable but undetectable. I think we've just about got it down, we'll run a few experiments over the summer and work the kinks out." Steve's eyes went wide; he hadn't thought they were being serious when they'd mentioned doing that.

"Seriously? That would be amazing," he murmured, before his lips curled in a frown. "But what if I don't make Head Boy?" Tony snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Are you serious? Of course you're going to make Head Boy. Who else would they give it to, Clint?" he scoffed. "Just trust us, gorgeous. Everything is gonna be fine, and then before you can even blink you'll be a Hogwarts graduate and moving in with us and starting your awesome Graphic Design course." It had surprised a lot of people when Steve had admitted he wanted to do an art course alongside his Auror training, but they had all been supportive about it. He'd start it a few months before training started, and he hoped he was able to balance them both.

"I hope so," Steve agreed, finding another tuft of pink in Tony's hair that brought a smile to his face. "But then I'll just be dealing with a pining Bucky on top of everything else. Merlin, the year after I graduate is gonna be hell for Darcy and Loki, I feel awful for them. And Bucky and Thor," he added, sighing. He didn't know how Loki would cope, being separated from his boyfriend for two full school years. He just knew the Slytherin would need a lot of support, and it would probably take all of them to stop him withdrawing into himself. At least he'd have Darcy in that last year.

"Yeah, I do not envy them at all," Bruce agreed. "But when you think about it, in two and a bit years we'll all have graduated, even Loki and Darcy. We'll all have jobs, houses, pets; maybe even kids by then, who knows? We'll be paying taxes and shit like actual adults." Steve and Tony shared a wide-eyed look, hardly able to imagine a life that didn't revolve around Hogwarts. At least things wouldn't change for Tony too much; he would still be working at Stark Industry. He just wouldn't have to bother with things like class and exams and quidditch matches in between.

"Bruce, sugarplum, I will _never_ be an adult," Tony declared vehemently, making them both laugh.

"I think the world would explode with horror," Steve agreed teasingly. Tony winked, leaning up for a heated kiss, letting Steve know that the serious conversation was over. He moaned lowly into his lover's mouth, feeling a hand that could only belong to Bruce sliding down his chest, the werewolf's lips pressing against his neck.

"We can worry about graduation when it happens," he breathed into Steve's ear. "Until then, we have two months to make the most of being together. Just relax, love, and let us take care of it." Steve smiled, breaking away from Tony even as he wrapped a hand around the billionaire's length, using his other hand to pull Bruce into a messy kiss.

"I trust you," he replied quietly, arching up against his lover's naked body. Bruce smiled, cupping Steve's cheek and kissing him far more tenderly. The blonde went with it, his worries about the future floating from his mind in the haze of pleasure and love. They would face it when it came, and they would face it together.

.-.-.

When the three of them finally dragged themselves out of bed and down to dinner, they found Tasha and Maria dining at the near-empty Slytherin table. Going to join them, Steve raised an eyebrow at the pair. "No sign of anyone else?"

"Pepper came down and grabbed something to take back up," Natasha explained. "You know how she gets." Steve winced; he knew all too well how Pepper got during exam time. She hadn't seemed to grasp that Tony had already hired her, and would continue to do so even if she failed all her NEWTs. "Rhodey is around somewhere, and I haven't seen Jane. Did you guys not find her in the common room?"

"No, it was empty when we came down," Tony replied, reaching for a plate. "Text her, babe?" the question was directed at Bruce, who smiled, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"You two had a good day?" Steve asked, grinning when the two girls shared smirks. No doubt they'd spent their day similarly to him, Tony and Bruce.

"Oh, definitely. It was… much needed relaxation," Maria replied, her hand in Natasha's on the tabletop as they both ate one-handed.

"Is there video?" Tony jibed around a mouthful of pasta, wincing when Maria kicked him under the table. "Ouch! Okay, okay, fine. No trading for you."

"Not into dick, Tony. We've been through this," Maria sighed, shaking her head. Steve snickered, catching Bruce's smile, and slid a plate of food in front of the werewolf.

"Hey, there's a fireplace in the Slytherin Head Girl's room, right?" Tony queried, looking between the pair.

"Yeah, why?" Tasha asked, making the genius grin.

"Mind if Bruce and I come take a look at it? If it's the same type as Steve's, we should be able to do what we're gonna do with his and set up a closed floo network. Then you guys can get your freak on whenever you want, and Thor can come through and visit Loki without having to walk down from Gryffindor. I mean, I love the guy, but stealth is not his middle name," he added with a snort.

"Tony, the Gryffindor fireplace isn't _mine_," Steve pointed out, only to get an eye-roll in response.

"Not yet, blondie, but it might as well be. So what do you say, ladies? Hell, I'm sure Phil would be grateful too, he's perfectly capable of sneaking from Slytherin to Hufflepuff for a little booty call funtimes," Tony drawled, smirking.

"Only if you promise not to set up hidden cameras in our room," Natasha bartered evenly. "I _will_ check." Tony held a hand to his chest, reeling back as if wounded.

"Really? What kind of man do you take me for? I'm hurt, Tasha, right here," he retorted, clutching his heart. "But really, no cameras, promise. Bruce will keep me out of trouble, won't you, honeybear?"

"No cameras," Bruce agreed with a smile. "We just want to see if it'll be compatible like the Gryffindor one. It'll take fifteen minutes, tops."

"Sounds good to me," Maria piped up. "I'm all for something that'll let me come visit you next year. And I know Phil and Thor will be, too." They would all be visiting every Hogsmeade weekend, and probably several times between then, but every single one of them knew that they'd never get permission from Fury to stay overnight and have sex with his students. If they turned up without permission, however, they doubted the Headmaster would care enough to find them and throw them out.

"Can we do it after dinner, then? It'll be less weird all of us going to hang in your room while everyone's still away," Tony reasoned.

"Sure, just don't mind the mess. We haven't got round to cleaning up yet," Tasha agreed. Both girls were finished, having started long before the boys arrived, but they waited patiently for them to finish anyway. There was still no sign of Rhodey or Jane, but Bruce assured them that Jane had text, and was in her room, and the house elves had brought her dinner.

When they'd all cleared their plates, Steve and Bruce eating thrice as much as their lover — the one side-effect of increased stamina was increased metabolism, and they'd both used up a lot of energy in the day — they got to their feet and left the Slytherin table, heading down to the dungeons. Steve smiled as Tony wrapped an arm around his waist, taking Bruce's hand in his free one and walking between them. Maria and Tasha walked in front, their hands linked loosely, and Steve flushed when he caught sight of a dark love bite on the back of Tasha's neck, above the collar of her t-shirt. He knew he probably had similar ones, and he'd known what the two girls had been getting up to, but… thinking about it really wasn't something he should be doing. It was their private business, as much as Tony liked to tease otherwise.

Slytherin was near-empty when they entered, and none of the common room's occupants looked up at their arrival, all too busy doing work and exam revision. Walking straight through to Maria's room, Steve stifled a smile at the mess in their room. It was even worse than their Ravenclaw dorm; at least theirs was only messy with work. He would have thought that Natasha would be a neat freak, but apparently not when Maria was around. Though he did notice the case full of weapons in impeccable condition in the corner of the room, clearly belonging to Tasha. And — he blushed once more, his cheeks burning — the leather-padded handcuffs hooked around one of the bedposts. He didn't want to know.

Tony and Bruce made a bee-line for the fireplace, and Steve bit his lip, looking around awkwardly. "Sit down, Steve," Natasha called, a smirk on her face. "I promise we changed the bedsheets before coming down for dinner. But if you still don't wanna sit on it, there's a chair somewhere under all that crap by the desk." He looked in the direction she pointed, seeing nothing but a mound of clothing. How the hell did they both have so many clothes?

"No, the bed's fine," he assured, toeing off his shoes and hopping up to join the pair on the bed. Maria grabbed her laptop off the bedside table, lying down with it on her stomach and her head on Tasha's chest. "Don't tell me you still have work to do?" he asked with raised eyebrows, and she shook her head.

"Do you think I'd have spent all day in bed with Tasha if I did?" she retorted. "No, I'm just checking my email. Phil said he'd send me some revision notes he made, but they haven't come through. He's probably been too busy enjoying his last day of freedom and forgot." He and Clint had gone to spend the break with Phil's parents, or 'the in-laws' as Tasha liked to call them in front of Clint, loving how he turned both embarrassed and sappy at the same time.

"What do you need notes on?" Tony called, not looking over from where he and Bruce were casting spells on the fireplace, writing things down on Tony's tablet. "I might have some."

"Your notes only make sense to you and Bruce, Stark," Maria pointed out. "I'll pass."

"Well, your choice," Tony muttered, shrugging. Natasha's fingers wound through Maria's hair as she peered at the laptop screen over her girlfriend's shoulder, and Steve leaned back against the bedpost — one that didn't have handcuffs on it. "Are you guys going back to sex after we leave, or did you wanna watch a movie or something?"

"We were undecided," Tasha replied, humming thoughtfully. "But aren't you three going back to bed?"

"I say this in the best way possible, but if someone touches my dick again today it might fall off," Tony informed her seriously. Steve blushed, and Bruce snorted, his cheeks going pink as well. "And as fun as it is watching these two gorgeous men going at it, I'm not in the mood for voyeurism today."

"Tony!" Steve protested, feeling his ears flame. He would never get over the lack of boundaries his boyfriend seemed to have; did Tasha and Maria really need to know that Tony liked watching him and Bruce when they still had energy to burn off after he was finished?

"What? It's not like they can't draw their own conclusions," Tony reasoned, nonchalant. "You have crazy super-serum stamina, Bruce has crazy werewolf stamina, and as fit and healthy as I am I still have the stamina of a mere mortal teenage boy. There is no shame in me not being able to keep up with you both."

"I don't know, you seem to do a pretty decent job with that mortal stamina of yours," Bruce teased. "I mean, I thought you'd flag after four, but I'm impressed you lasted through round five." Ignoring their Gryffindor lover turning the colour of his house tie on the bed, Tony winked at Bruce, leaning in for a kiss and sliding a hand around to grope his ass.

"What can I say? You two inspire me." He turned to the bed, striding over and standing on tiptoes to lean in and kiss Steve. "Relax, babe, Tasha and Maria aren't gonna say anything. Also, we're done with the fireplace. Good news; it's compatible. Bad news, I think we may have lost one of your bras in the network during a test. My bad, I'll buy you a new one. Purple with black lace trim, front-fastening?" Tasha cursed in Russian, glaring at him.

"That's part of a set, Tony. You had better buy me a new one," she warned, but he rolled his eyes.

"I will, I promise, just link me the site and size and I'll buy it tonight or something. Now, movie, yes or no?" Maria sighed, shutting down her laptop and turning to drop a kiss on Natasha's lips.

"I suppose we might as well. Unless you're planning on doing all the work, because I love you, but I am way too tired," she added smirking. Natasha cracked a smile, brushing Maria's fringe from her eyes.

"No, I was hoping you would," she returned. "So movie it is. Lead the way, Stark." Steve clambered off the bed after the two girls, and Tony stopped him to pull him into another kiss.

"I'm sorry for talking about our sex life in front of people," he murmured dutifully; this wasn't the first time. The blonde sighed, a smile reluctantly creeping across his lips. How could he be mad when he had spent the entire day having amazing sex with the men he loved?

"It's okay," he assured, smoothing out a stray curl on the genius' head. "Just… time and a place, yeah?" Arm falling comfortably around Tony's shoulders, he smiled as Tony grinned at him.

"Yes, sir. And hey," he added, leaning up to murmur in Steve's ear as they started out of the room. "Just because I'm tapped out now, doesn't mean I won't wanna have some fun later. I bet I can get you and Bruce to come simultaneously with only me touching you both." Steve flushed, his traitorous body pulsing with arousal. Why couldn't Tony have waited until _after_ the movie? Still, he smirked, lips dragging across Tony's cheek as he stooped to reply.

"Challenge accepted." Maybe if he talked with Bruce during the movie, they could turn the tables a little. Tony had said his cock would fall off if someone touched it; that didn't rule out touching the rest of his body, after all.


	65. Y7: Overreactions

_**Title:**__ Overreactions_  
_**Summary:**__ Pepper has been getting job offers since the beginning of the year, from people who think they can drag her away from Tony's side. When Tony finds out, he immediately gets the wrong end of the stick, of course._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 1792_  
_**Pairing:**__ Steve/Tony/Bruce_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

Swamped in a yellow and black fleece blanket, laptop balanced on her knees, Pepper resisted the urge to tear out her hair as she went through her many emails. She was the only one in her dorm room, as the rest of her roommates were in the common room for a study group. She didn't mind; they were loud when the worked together, and she didn't really get along with them. Alone she could put on her music and curl up with her laptop and some tea, and not bother anyone.

Deleting several emails without even bothering to read them, she opened one out of curiosity, only to roll her eyes at the first line, deleting it along with the other three from the same company. Honestly, did they have no dignity? For months she'd been getting emails from all sorts of companies, wizarding and muggle, offering her jobs with them. High-powered, well-paying jobs as a business manager or CEO's secretary or something equally prolific. Had she not known Tony, she would have been awed and flattered at the offers; then again, had she not known Tony, she probably wouldn't be getting them in the first place.

It was ridiculous to think she'd ever leave Stark Industries. Not only would she never be able to leave Tony, she loved her job, and she knew she'd only love it more when she and Tony graduated and started working full-time. They made a great team, and working for Tony gave her all the perks of being the CEO of a Fortune 500 company without actually having to be the face of the company. Of course, it also gave her the boring bits, such as business meetings and proposals and expenses reports, but she actually sort-of enjoyed those. Besides, for all the enormous salaries the companies all over the world could try and tempt her with, there was no way they'd ever be able to offer more than what Tony paid her. Her paycheck from him was _obscene_. She'd argued about it, but he wouldn't take no for an answer, and it was easier to just agree and move on.

Growling under her breath, she sent another twenty or so emails straight into the trash, shutting down her laptop and pushing it to the end of her bed, reaching for her DADA textbook and a notepad. She had some extra credit work to finish for Professor Hogan, and she may as well take the chance while she had the dorm to herself. Every time her roommates saw her doing work for that class that wasn't part of the curriculum, they giggled and teased her for being Hogan's 'special favourite'. At first it had been embarrassing — Professor Hogan was attractive, which was _not_ the reason she was helping him, but if he overheard he might start thinking (correctly) that she had a (slight) crush on him and that wouldn't end well — but now it was just getting old. But there were only four and a half weeks left of the year, and then she'd never have to see any of them again. That was probably the one part of Hogwarts she was most looking forward to leaving. She couldn't wait to have a room of her own, even if she was living at Tony's place. She didn't want to live completely alone, she just wanted a little privacy.

Glancing over at the pile of revision notes for Charms, the exam for which she had in two days, she looked back at the DADA work, biting her lip. She could finish that first, then work on Charms. It wouldn't take long, and Professor Hogan always appreciated the help.

.-.-.

Several days later, and Pepper had almost forgotten about the multitude of job offers; they seemed to have gotten the point at her lack of reply, and stopped pestering her. Joining Jane and the boys at the Ravenclaw table for breakfast, as she usually did, she smiled in greeting, rolling her eyes and reaching over to straighten Tony's tie. "Can you not look like you've just crawled out of bed on the day of your first practical exam, please?" she asked wryly, earning a cheeky grin.

"But Pep, I _have_ just crawled out of bed. Very, very reluctantly, I might add," he informed her, kissing Bruce's cheek pointedly. The redhead rolled her eyes, filling her bowl with porridge and grabbing some fruit to accompany it. She was a firm believer in starting exam days with a healthy breakfast; unlike Tony, who clearly only had something other than bacon on his plate due to Steve, who kept spooning eggs on his plate when he wasn't looking. It was worrying, sometimes, that he was one of the richest men in the wizarding world. That's what he had her for, she supposed.

"How are you all feeling about the exam?" Steve asked, fairly cheerful; he only had a Transfiguration theory, and with Bruce coaching him through his revision he couldn't possibly fail.

"Not too bad, actually. My Defence is pretty decent, and it can't be too hard, right?" Jane mused, sipping at the largest mug of hot chocolate Pepper had ever seen. She was such a sugar fiend.

They all looked up at the small smattering of post owls that flew through the open hatch in the rafters, eyes sharp in search of their recipients. While electronic communications were now the norm, there were still plenty of old-fashioned people who firmly believed in the power of the handwritten word. Pepper's eyebrows rose when a dark tawny owl aimed straight for her, a letter clasped in its talons. Expecting it to drop the letter in front of someone else at the Ravenclaw table, she was surprised when the thick parchment envelope fell right in front of her plate, nearly landing in her porridge. "Who the hell would be writing you?" Tony queried, reaching across to snatch the letter before she could get it. "It definitely has your name on it, _Virginia_," he teased her, smirking when she turned as red as her hair. He knew she hated her name. Tearing open the envelope, Tony pulled out the letter within, his eyes narrowing as he started reading.

"Who's it from?" Pepper asked, but he ignored her, his jaw clenching and the colour draining from his face as he continued to read, setting the Hufflepuff on edge. What was the letter about? "Tony, what is it?"

"Congratulations, Pep," he remarked, looking like each word was causing him physical pain. "I mean, of course, it was stupid of me to think— you don't have to work for me after graduation, if you want to go somewhere else. It's fine, I don't own you, you're welcome to go wherever you want. They'll be lucky to have you." He dropped the letter, getting abruptly to his feet. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go revise." Pepper watched in confusion as the billionaire practically bolted from the hall, and immediately reached for the letter, skimming it. She groaned; trust Tony to get the wrong end of the stick!

"What is it?" Bruce asked, concern written all over his face. Pepper thrust the letter at him, not needing to read much past _'Dear Ms Potts, we would like to formally offer you a position at..'_. Was sending her three million emails not enough?

"I need to go, I'll be right back," she said quickly, abandoning her breakfast to chase after Tony. She found him on the stairway, his shoulders slumped and a frown on his lips, and grabbed him by the hood of his robe, dragging him into the nearest secret passage.

"Hey! Hey, watch it! What's with the manhandling? I told you, I need to study!" Pepper rolled her eyes at his complaining, clasping his shoulders firmly.

"You're an idiot," she declared, making him wince.

"Yeah, I figured that's why you don't wanna work for me," he remarked bitterly. Huffing, Pepper stared him down, unflinching.

"Tony, don't be ridiculous. There is no situation in which I wouldn't want to keep working for you," she told him bluntly, not letting him break eye contact as she spoke. His eyes widened, a look of confusion crossing his face.

"But, the letter…" he trailed off, and she laughed, shaking her head incredulously.

"Tony, I've been getting job offers since seventh year started," she informed her friend. "I swear, I'm running out of companies that _haven't_ offered me something. I've ignored every single one of them, but clearly some people are persistent." She recognised the company logo on the letter as one of the ones who had sent her about four hundred emails over the past eight months; she was tempted to send a scathing email in reply to let them know she wasn't interested, but it would probably be more trouble than it was worth.

"Oh." She couldn't help but smile at Tony's sheepish realisation, leaning in to smooth his hair down.

"Just to be clear, I don't want to be working anywhere but wherever you are, Tony. Even if you decided to disband Stark Industries and start selling cars from your garage, I would work for you. I honestly don't think you or Bruce would be able to function without me," she added, smirking. Steve would be fine, he had his head on straight, but Bruce was just as bad as Tony sometimes. And the blonde Gryffindor was terrible at persuading his lovers to do necessary things like sleep and eat and not work for eighteen hours without breaks.

"I, uh, kinda misunderstood things, huh?" Tony mused ruefully, making her laugh, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"Just a little, yeah," she agreed. "But it's nice to know you'd be inconsolable if I did leave. Does wonders for a girl's ego." He glared lightly, poking her side and making her yelp. "Too late, you've reacted now, I know you don't want to live without me," she teased, smirking at him. Pulling him into a brief hug, she smiled when he squeezed back tightly. "Now come on, let's get back to breakfast before all the food's gone. I swear to God, Tony Stark, if I have to face this exam on an empty stomach I am going to curse you so bad you won't get it up for a month." He winced, picking up the pace as they both headed back to the Great Hall, Tony leaning in to wrap an arm around her shoulders and peck her temple as they walked.

"Love you, Pep," he murmured, making her smile. Yeah, she'd never be able to stop working for him, God help her.

"Love you, too, Tony. Even if I do want to strangle you sometimes."


	66. Y7: Nostalgia

_**Title:**__ Nostalgia_  
_**Summary:**__ With two days until graduation, the seventh year Avengers look back on their years at Hogwarts. After a night with those who will stay behind, Sif finally realises just how different Hogwarts will be without her boys._  
_**Wordcount:**__ 2541_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony/Bruce, Tasha/Maria, Clint/Phil, Darcy/Bucky, Thor/Loki_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

The group in the Room of Requirement was smaller than their usual gathering, and Bruce definitely noticed it. Still, it was only right; he knew the younger members of their group were having their own night over in Phil and Clint's room, to prepare themselves for what would happen in two days. Tonight, for him, was about his fellow graduates.

Leaning into Tony's side, he sipped at his glass of water, trying not to feel strange about not having Steve by their side. The blonde understood, and they had all of tomorrow to be together. And then, of course, all of summer. But at least he had Tony with him still. Even if his boyfriend was on the far end of the tipsy scale by now. Bruce was the only one not drinking — he didn't see the point, when alcohol didn't affect him and he didn't enjoy the taste — though Phil had only had one drink, so between them they were the only sober members of their group.

"Merlin, can you believe it," Pepper mused from Tony's other side on the couch. "We've all known each other for seven years now."

"Well, we didn't really _know_ each other until like, second or third year," Jane pointed out. "Not really. We had classes and stuff, but… did any of us really talk all that much in first year?" Of course Tony and Bruce had been practically inseparable since day one, and the Gryffindor boys had all known each other for years already, but the rest of them couldn't really consider themselves 'friends' until second year, or even later.

"God, remember what it was like back then? Before we really knew each other, before Steve and Clint and Tasha and everyone?" Tony remarked, chuckling. "Hell, I didn't even really know them until I had two little third year brats coming to Ravenclaw and asking my help so Barton could get a boyfriend," he teased, watching as Phil flushed.

"And Steve was a scrawny little sod back then," Peggy added, grinning. "Bless his heart. He was so starstruck when you saved him from those bullies, Tony. Watched you for weeks, too shy to say hello, and the amount of drawings of you in his sketchbook… it's no wonder you ended up the way you did. I'm just surprised he went and fancied Bucky first."

"Oh, come on, that was a safety crush and we all know it," Bruce piped up, rolling his eyes. "Buck is straight as a ruler, Steve knew he'd never get anywhere. With Tony he actually had a chance."

"True," Peggy agreed, nodding. "But I still felt bad for the poor soul."

"I think we can agree he came out of it okay, don't you think?" Maria said wryly, knocking back another shot of vodka. Bruce smirked, sharing a glance with Tony. Yeah, Steve came out the other end of things pretty well.

"But wait, does that mean we have _Phil_ to thank for us all being friends?" Pepper asked, looking at her fellow Hufflepuff. "I mean, if he hadn't gotten Clint so crazy about him, Tasha wouldn't have suggested they ask Tony and Bruce for help, so they probably wouldn't have started hanging out with us. You and Tony still annoyed the crap out of each other back then, so you wouldn't have been friends either, and if Clint hadn't asked Tony and started the whole study group thing, we wouldn't have known Jane or Thor or anyone all that well."

"Not true! I was friends with Tony and Bruce way before the Clint thing," Jane pointed out. "And I was already tutoring Thor by then, too, so if we'd still gotten together we would have all been friends anyway."

"D'you think Steve would have ever gathered up the courage to talk to me if I hadn't started hanging out with Peggy because of the study group, though?" Tony asked, resting his head on Bruce's shoulder. Bruce wrapped an arm tighter around him, fingers tracing random runes on the genius' bare forearm.

"Probably not," Pepper replied, snickering. "He was so shy, he'd probably just have creeped on you and given up and gone back to crushing on Bucky instead."

"I like to believe we would have all become friends in one way or another," Thor announced, words slightly slurred. "For the fates have mysterious ways."

"Fate, huh?" Phil repeated, bemused. "That sounds much better than saying Clint's crush on me is the catalyst for all this." Bruce snorted, and Pepper let out a groan.

"I am not sober enough to try and figure out the roots of all our friendships," she told them, "so fate works fine by me."

"To fate!" Fandral exclaimed, raising his glass. Bruce raised his water to tap against Tony's vodka and coke, and Pepper's cider.

"To fate," he echoed along with the rest of the group, a smile on his face as he drank. He liked the idea of their group being fated to end up friends; trying to imagine Hogwarts without all of them made his head hurt and his chest feel cold. Pulling Tony closer, he dropped a kiss on his hair, smiling fondly. "And I have to say, if I could go back and talk to eleven year-old me, I'd give him the biggest hug for letting eleven year-old Tony Stark barge into his compartment on the train."

"Yeah, I picked the right end of the train, didn't I?" Tony agreed, grinning back. "But we'd probably have been bros anyway, we're the only two Ravenclaw guys. Besides, you were adorable, and crazy interesting with the mysterious disappearances and all. How could I stay away?" Unable to help himself, Bruce leaned in for a kiss, ignoring the groans from several of their friends.

"Hey, hey, break it up!" Jane urged, throwing a pillow at them. "Save that for tomorrow; tonight is about friends, not partners." Both grinning sheepishly, Bruce and Tony parted, though not too far, Tony still comfortable against Bruce's shoulder.

"Seriously, though. I have a lot to thank Tony for, and the rest of you," Bruce reasoned, amazed to feel a lump building in his throat. He wasn't even drunk! "I mean, I started Hogwarts expecting to be alone the whole seven years, not allowed to be too close to anyone for fear of them finding out my secret. Now I… I have the best group of friends anyone could ask for, the two absolute loves of my life, and I'm not even a true werewolf anymore." Several people smiled at him, and Pepper reached over to squeeze his hand. "And I— I know that even though I'm not a true wolf, I still have the wolf in me, and I always will. The wolf… all of you, you're pack to him. To us. I never expected anything _close_ to that, and I'm trying really hard not to get all sappy and emotional here, but… thank you. I can never thank you enough for everything you've all done for me, and the others, but— thanks, anyway." Tony hugged him tighter, kissing his cheek in comfort.

"Our group wouldn't be the same without you, Bruce, and we all know it," Peggy informed him with a soft smile on her face. "For one, there would be no one to keep Tony in check." Her grin turned teasing, and Bruce snorted at Tony's indignant whine. "But you've always been there for all of us, and I know I for one appreciate that."

"We are family," Thor told him honestly, gesturing to the room at large. "Us, and all those gathered in Phil's room now. Even without a wolf in any of us to guide our instincts, we are all pack, all family, and we shall remain that way until we die. Our children shall grow as cousins, our bonds will never break, and even in Valhalla we shall come together once more." There was a poignant silence after the blonde's words, each of them taking in the gravity of his little speech, alcohol-fuelled though it may be.

"Hear, hear," Tony agreed, raising his glass once more. "And on that note, _God_ help our kids, growing up in this nutball family." Pepper giggled, and the mood was broken, though Bruce knew that each of them would be feeling Thor's words resonate in their minds for days, weeks, even years to come. He certainly would, and it made facing graduation that little bit easier.

.-.-.-.

Having disbanded from Phil's room before they all ended up crying on each other, Sif entered the Gryffindor common room alone; Steve had parted from her at the top of the stairs, heading in the direction of Ravenclaw to wait for Tony and Bruce, and Bucky had stayed in Hufflepuff with Darcy. Ignoring the staircase up to the girls' dorms, Sif instead took the one to the boys' dorms, slipping inside the seventh year boys' dorms. It was empty, and her chest tightened at the sight of all their trunks at the ends of their beds, packed but for the few things they would need in the last two days. She had helped them pack, yes, but seeing the room tidy felt so… final. They wouldn't be coming back to it next year; it would be full of wide-eyed first years, and Steve, Bucky and their roommates would be the new Gryffindor seventh year boys. She herself would be a seventh year girl. It was a lot to take in.

Fandral's quidditch jumper was resting on top of his trunk, and she pulled it on over her pyjamas, smiling to herself at the familiar scent of the blonde's cologne. Slipping her shoes off, she perched on his bed and shuffled up to lean against the headboard, knees tucked to her chest. She couldn't imagine Hogwarts without her boys. It would be like the year before she had gone to Hogwarts, when they were all there without her, but worse because she was older now and couldn't be placated with the promise of seven years of schooling ahead. She knew, rationally, that it was just a year before she would be back with them, and she would see them at holidays and Hogsmeade weekends, but… it wasn't the same.

She tensed as she heard footsteps on the stairs outside, the unmistakeable too-loud whispers of her boys trying and failing to be quiet, and she swallowed the lump on her throat, offering Hogun a smile as he stumbled through the door, closely followed by his three comrades. "Sif!" Volstagg exclaimed, surprised. "What's wrong, is everything okay?" Upon seeing her, all four boys immediately rushed to her side, concern on their faces. She smiled, shaking her head.

"I'm fine, all is well," she assured quickly. "I just… it has finally hit me that I shall have to face Hogwarts without you all, come September. I knew before, but… the prospect never seemed so bleak, until now." The boys shared knowing looks, and Volstagg sank down on the edge of the bed, reaching one long arm around her shoulders to pull her in close. He smelled vaguely of alcohol, but she knew they were only tipsy; it took an incredible amount to get them drunk, and that had not been the purpose of their gathering.

"We shall all be at the end of a phone as soon as you need any of us," he promised, pressing a kiss to her temple. "And with Tony's plans for what we all know will be Steve's room next year, you only have to ask for us to be with you in the flesh in a heartbeat."

"Volstagg is right," Thor agreed, sitting on her other side and leaning into her. "And you are not completely without your entourage, my lady; indeed, you still have the most important member of all." He cracked a smile, large fingers carding through her hair. "Loki will remain with you, will he not? He always was your favourite." She couldn't help but smile back, even as a stray tear crept down her cheek.

"I do not play favourites with my brothers, you know this," she insisted, as she had done hundreds of times over the years. They all knew it was a lie; each of them was her favourite in different circumstances, though she truly loved them all equally. "And I do know this, but it is not the same and you know it. I love Loki dearly, and he will be a great comfort, but he's not you. He's not any of you, and I shall miss you all regardless."

"We shall miss you too, never doubt it," Hogun told her, completely serious despite the slight drunken glazing of his eyes.

"It is only a year," Fandral added with a smile. Sif smiled back, not wanting to admit that even after Hogwarts, things would be different. They would each have jobs and separate lives, and Thor and Loki would live together, and no doubt her three boys would find partners and eventually settle down and have children, and things would be so very different. "How about you stay in here tonight, with us?" Fandral offered, leaning against the bedpost. "It shall not trouble me to share with Hogun, for one night."

"Don't be daft, Fandral; you and Hogun would never fit comfortably in one of these beds!" she argued, then bit her lip. "If you do not object, I could share with you. It is not like we have not done so plenty of times in the past." Granted, they hadn't properly shared since they were children, but the amount of times she'd fallen asleep on his chest during movie nights were practically the same thing. And he was the slimmest of the boys; there was no way she'd fit with any of the others.

"Of course I have no objections," he agreed easily, smiling. "Make yourself comfortable." Thor brushed his lips against her temple, and Volstagg squeezed her once more before letting go, and the four boys prepared themselves for bed. Shrugging Fandral's hoodie off and depositing it back on top of his trunk, she slipped into the bathroom to borrow a spare toothbrush and go about her nightly routine, heading back to crawl under the duvet of Fandral's bed. When the lights were out, he crossed from the bathroom to join her, shuffling in behind her and closing the drapes with a quick flick of his wrist, winding an arm around her waist. Sif placed her hand over his on her stomach, and their fingers twined, his grip tightening briefly.

"Hogwarts will not be the same without you," she breathed into the silence, and his lips pressed against her cheek as he pulled her closer, allowing her to take comfort in his embrace.

"Just because you will be at Hogwarts without us, does not mean you will be alone," he told her firmly. "And all you need to do is call my name, and I shall drop whatever I have to, to attend to you." Sif smiled briefly at that, trying to relax at his words. He was right; even without her boys, she was far from alone. It was just a different kind of company.


	67. Y7: End of an Era

_**Title:**__ End of an Era_  
_**Summary:**__ Finally, the eldest of the Avengers are graduating Hogwarts. Sure, they're sad to be leaving, but the world waits for no man, and they have lives to live. _  
_**Wordcount:**__ 5473_  
_**Pairings:**__ Steve/Tony/Bruce, Tasha/Maria, Clint/Phil, Darcy/Bucky, Thor/Loki_  
_**Year:**__ Seven_

* * *

Despite the dorm being full for once, it was surprisingly quiet in the Hufflepuff seventh year boys' dorm as they all got into their graduation robes. The robes were much nicer than their ordinary school robes, the black velvet lined with gleaming yellow silk, yellow embroidery around the cuffs and hem and a Hufflepuff crest shining proudly from the breast. Phil pinned his Head Boy badge just below it for the very last time, trying to remember to breathe. He was in the dorm for old times' sake, sure that he would have just stayed in his room all day if he'd been getting ready on his own.

The dorm looked bare, more than it usually did at the end of a school year. They had always known they would be coming back to the same dorm the next year, so leaving things behind hadn't been too big a deal; the House Elves just put them on their beds ready for the beginning of the next year. But this year, come September, a whole new bunch of first years would be moving in to the space. They had to make sure they had absolutely everything packed. Phil, of course, was fine with that; his trunk was stood at the end of his bed in his own private room, Sitwell's cage resting on top and waiting for the bird to occupy it. He'd be heading home the morning after the ceremony — only briefly, before heading over to Tony's for the graduation party — and he couldn't quite believe he was leaving for good.

"Hey, Phil, c'mon man," one of his ex-roommates called, making for the door. "Clock's ticking." Phil sighed, nodding, and turned to follow them out of the dorm. He couldn't really call it 'his dorm' anymore, he supposed. Heading out to the common room, his jaw dropped when he saw the seventh year girls gathered there, all in their own robes. Pepper grinned at him, giving a twirl, and he pulled her into a hug.

"You look beautiful," he told her solemnly, making her beam. She looked like she was about to cry at any second, and he knew she wouldn't be the only one unable to get through the ceremony without tears. He wouldn't be surprised if he himself had a bit of a cry, towards the end maybe.

"And you look so handsome," she replied fondly, kissing his cheek lightly so as not to get lipstick on his skin.

"Where's Clint?" he asked, wondering if his boyfriend had gone down with Rhodey and the others. He knew all his friends would be in their seats already, but he'd hoped his boyfriend might stay back to see him before the ceremony. He needed a kiss for luck, so he didn't faint in the middle of his Head Boy's speech.

"In your room," Pepper answered, a knowing smile on her face. "I'll wait for you guys, you have time." He smiled at her in thanks, turning back towards the dorms and heading straight for his room, knocking once on the door before opening. Clint looked gorgeous in his suit, his Hufflepuff tie at his neck in a show of house pride, though Phil knew it wouldn't stay on for long once the ceremony was over. The younger teen turned at the intrusion, his eyes going wide when he saw his boyfriend, his jaw dropping. Phil shut the door behind himself, taking a few moments to appreciate a speechless Clint Barton. Eventually, the archer regained himself, stepping forward to cup Phil's face in his hands and pull him into a kiss.

"You look amazing," he breathed, smiling. Phil grinned back, winding his arms around his shorter lover. "You ready for this?"

"I think so, yeah," Phil agreed, surprised that he was actually telling the truth. He was so very ready to graduate. "You?" Clint bit his lip, hesitant, and Phil kissed him again, fingers sliding into the short hairs at the back of his neck. "This isn't a bad thing," he soothed quietly. "It's a year of seeing each other less, sure, but it doesn't mean we're going to break up, or drift apart, or anything like that." He'd heard all of Clint's fears before, spoken in the dead of night when the only other sounds were them breathing, and he wished he could do more to assuage them.

"But—" Phil pressed their lips together, stopping his words.

"But nothing. I've got the ring picked out and everything, remember?" he added playfully. Clint grinned at that, his shoulders relaxing a fraction.

"I still don't know if you're serious about that," he remarked, making Phil chuckle, winking.

"And you never will. Come on, Pepper's waiting." Kissing him long and slow, Phil eventually managed to pull himself away from his boyfriend, twining their fingers together. Leading the way out of the room, he smiled at Pepper still in the common room, now waiting alone.

"Let's do this thing," she declared confidently, a grin on her face as she slipped her hand into Phil's free one, tugging him and Clint towards the common room door. Together they walked down to the Entrance Hall, where the rest of the graduates were gathered. Everyone else was already outside, waiting for the ceremony to start.

"I'd better go," Clint murmured, checking his watch. Things were due to start any minute now. Phil felt a stab of panic at having to let go of his boyfriend and face things alone, but Clint squeezed his hand, smiling, and leaned in for a kiss. "Good luck, you'll be great. Just focus on me if you get nervous, yeah? I love you."

"Thanks," Phil replied, grinning. "I love you too." Clint kissed Pepper's cheek, gave a short wave to Tony and Bruce across the hall, then darted out the front doors to go and find his seat. Selvig cleared his throat as he descended the stairs, a smile on his face.

"Graduates, it is time," he announced. "Please line up in house order by the doors." Phil turned to Pepper, feeling his stomach churn with nerves, and she gave a shaky smile in return as they moved to join their fellow Hufflepuffs, pulling their traditional pointed black hats from their pockets to place on their heads. He couldn't really hold off much longer.

.-.-.

Trying not to fidget in his nervousness, Thor kept his hands firmly clenched at his sides to avoid twisting his fingers in his robe. He was in the front row, and he could feel his father's intense gaze fixed on him. He wasn't brave enough to look in their direction, instead letting his gaze skim over the gathered crowd to where his friends were sitting. Eyes landing on Loki, he couldn't help but grin at the faint smile on his lover's face; the kind of smile he got when he wanted to beam in public but didn't want to look a fool. When their eyes met, Loki's smile widened the barest fraction, but it made Thor's heart lighten dramatically, his nerves easing. He was glad Final Assembly and Graduation Assembly were two separate events; he didn't think he would have been able to cope with the entire school, plus their parents, watching him.

Tuning back in to Headmaster Fury's speech, he unclenched his fists to applaud as the man announced Phil and Maria as Head Boy and Girl to make their speeches. The pair stood straight-backed and proud, though Phil's hands were shaking slightly, and Thor wished he could see their faces. They set their notes on the podium, and began to speak.

"If you had told me at the age of eleven that I would be spending the next seven years in the company of this particular group of people, I probably would have turned and run as far as I could," Phil remarked, drawing laughter from the crowd. Thor smiled; yes, he was much the same, when he first arrived. "I spent so long trying to figure out how to summarise my years at this school, but I just couldn't do it. The experience was so unique, so extraordinary, that it's difficult to put into words. I have had the privilege of getting to be a part of this… incredible year group, full of people who will no doubt shape the world as we grow older. Or, in Tony Stark's case, potentially destroy it."

"Hey, that was one time!" Tony called from the Ravenclaw section of the crowd, causing more laughs.

"One time that I'm sure will be repeated many, many times over," Phil joked. "But these people have learned beside me, competed against me, we've shared our lives together for seven years even if we hardly spoke. Hogwarts has been a home away from home, full of all the components of a good family, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Not only am I walking away with excellent grades and high career prospects, as are all of my fellow graduates, but I walk away from my time at this school with a group of friends closer than I ever imagined I could have. Brothers and sisters in everything but blood, people I am proud to call my family, who will stand by me throughout the rest of my life. I walk away with the love of my life, who I met in these halls, and who I could not bear to part with."

Thor glanced to Clint, whose cheeks were burning bright red as Darcy cackled silently at his side. Phil took a deep breath, continuing. "But most of all, I walk away with confidence. Confidence in myself, in my abilities, and the abilities of those around me. We all learned so much in our seven years of Hogwarts, even when we didn't realise we were learning, and I know my classmates will agree with me when I say that I shall be using those lessons even when I'm a hundred years old. So as we all leave this part of our lives behind and move on to the next chapter, I can safely say that none of us will forget what we learned, and we will all take with us the experiences that have allowed us to become who we are today, that will decide who we come to be. There isn't a single part of the past seven years that I would change, given the chance, for anything. And, if there's one thing I have learned in my time here, above all else, it's that you never stop learning. That, and," here be paused, chuckling slightly, "when Tony says he's had a brilliant idea, run for cover until Pepper says it's safe." He stepped back from the podium and took a bow as applause started up once more, and Thor beamed, clapping along. Maria moved to where Phil had been stood, and her hand gripped the Hufflepuff's behind the podium as she cleared her throat, sounding a little wet. Thor knew that, were he to look at her face, she would be very near tears.

"Everyone says that leaving school is the greatest feeling in the world," she started. "That feeling of finally becoming an adult, becoming your own person, no longer bound by school timetables or homework or exams. Believe me, I'm looking forward to that, but I don't think it's all that great. I mean, what do we have ahead of us? Jobs, taxes, mortgages; fun, right?" All the adults in the audience laughed, and Phil squeezed her hand supportively. "But then, thinking about it little harder, there are some experiences that could never happen in school that I'm very much excited for. Marriage, kids, pets; being able to grab a friend and apparate to a foreign country for the next week, without having to check in with your parents or arrange it around school breaks. Those nights of staying up with friends until the sun comes up, talking about your lives because you've actually been apart long enough not to know what everyone else has been doing. All the little things that we will no doubt take for granted after the first few years of freedom, and the bigger things we could never possibly forget."

She took a shaky breath, free hand reaching up to briefly wipe at her eyes. "I know I'm going to have a lot more to say after the ceremony, face to face, with friends and classmates and everyone else going through this life-changing moment with me. But right now, I have to try and speak for all of us. First off, thank you all for sharing today with us. I know it means a lot to me that you're all here, and no doubt it means just as much to the people sitting behind me. You're here to witness our transition from children to adults; sure, we're all of age already, and sometimes we feel like adults, but… I sometimes had doubts, felt like a child, even at the age of eighteen. And the best thing about that was having Hogwarts to back me up, set me back on my feet and remind me that I am a capable young woman. Now, I guess I'll have to rely on myself for that, and my friends, and my girlfriend. None of whom I would know without Hogwarts." She sighed, voice quivering, and Phil ignored propriety to wrap his arm around her shoulders. Thor was glad; he desperately wanted to hug her himself.

"I'm going to miss school," she said plainly. "I'm going to miss quidditch, and working in the library until closing time to finish an essay. I'm going to miss quiet nights in the Slytherin common room, and louder nights spent with friends. I'm going to miss the food, and my teachers, and my classmates. I'm going to miss leading Clint Barton on a wild goose chase in the middle of the day just so I can get ten minutes alone with my girl." Phil snickered, and Thor glanced over to see several of their friends laughing in the crowd, Natasha the loudest. "I'm going to miss so many things, most of which I probably won't even think about missing until I already do, but I know that because of this school I have the best support base I could possibly imagine, and the best prospects for my future. So I hope my fellow graduates agree with me when I say; Hogwarts may well be very different without us, something Headmaster Fury is no doubt grateful for, but most of all we will be very, very different without Hogwarts. And that's not always a bad thing." She reached up to wipe her eyes once more, turning further into Phil's embrace as the applause started up loudly. The pair turned to head back to their seats, Phil kissing the Slytherin on the forehead before parting from her.

Fury took his place at the podium once more, glancing over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow at Maria. "I don't know about different, Hill; not until those brats in the year below are gone too," he joked, and a cheer went up from where the rest of their group was sitting, Tasha and Clint high-fiving. Thor laughed, winking at Sif, who was in tears already despite the smile on her face. "I will now call up each student in turn to receive their diploma, beginning with Gryffindor House." That was their cue, and Thor stood with his fellow Gryffindors, filing out of their rows of chairs to line up at the edge of the stage. Fury began calling names, and Thor applauded for each and every one, beaming proudly when his friends accepted their diplomas and bowed before heading back to their seats. "Thor Odinson, who leaves us to take over his family business, and take a position in the Ministry of Magic." Thor stepped forward, chest puffed out confidently as he strode across the stage, the rich red lining of his robe shimmering in the sunlight, the gold trim on his cuffs and hem glinting blindingly bright. Fury held out a rolled up parchment, which Thor accepted reverently, shaking his headmaster's hand and then his housemaster's, grinning at them both. He saw Loki applauding fiercely as he moved to take his bow, Darcy wolf-whistling loud enough to make him chuckle.

He stared at the parchment in his hands in amazement once he was back in his seat, and the Hufflepuffs began lining up. He had done it; he had graduated.

.-.-.-.

"I now declare you all officially graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; congratulations!" Fury declared, and Bruce jumped to his feet, cheering wildly along with his yearmates, sending blue and bronze sparks from the tip of his wand as he tossed his pointed wizard's hat in the air. A weight landed on his back, but he barely stumbled, recognising the familiar scent easily even amongst the crowd of people. Tony climbed off him and spun him around, kissing him hard, wrapping his arms tightly around him. Bruce could do nothing but kiss back, hands gripping the soft velvet of his lover's robes. He laughed when they parted, and Tony beamed at him, eyes shining with delight. "We did it, cupcake," he whispered, kissing him briefly. He reached out an arm, and there was a squeal as Jane was pulled into the hug, the two boys pressing smacking kisses to her cheeks. Bruce loved Tony and Steve just the same, of course, and he loved the rest of his friends equally, but the three of them were the only Ravenclaws in their group, and that was a special bond.

Before he knew what was really happening, the three of them were bundled on by the rest of their friends, Phil's scent mingling with Fandral's and Peggy's and Thor's and all the others as they piled on top of each other, ending up in a huge group hug that would send them all to the floor at any moment, laughing their heads off as they went. Hand tight in Tony's as they all untangled themselves, Bruce couldn't stop himself grinning, turning to look out at the crowd. With the ceremony officially over, everyone was up on their feet and moving towards their children, and he could see their younger friends walking towards them with wide smiles on their faces. Flooding off the stage, they made to join them, and Bruce pulled Steve into his arms. "Hey, handsome," he greeted with a kiss, smiling when Tony leaned in for one of his own with the blonde. Steve slid a long arm around each of them, beaming widely.

"Congrats, both of you. I am so proud," he murmured, kissing them each once more. Tony had graduated top of the year, of course, and with the subject prize for Potions and Charms. The only reason he hadn't taken all the subject prizes was that each student was limited to two; Bruce had narrowly beat out Jane for the Transfiguration prize, but she had Astronomy, which she was pleased about. "Come on, everyone's waiting." He started to lead them back to where they had all been sitting, the rest of the group following at a sedate pace. Bruce's eyebrows rose when he saw Steve's mom sat next to his own, grinning widely.

"Hi, Mrs Rogers," Tony greeted, surprise in his tone. "What are you doing here?" She rolled her eyes, getting up to hug them both tightly.

"I came to see you boys graduate, silly," she replied warmly. "And for the last damn time, it's Sarah. You didn't really think I'd miss your graduation, did you? You're just as much my kids as Steve is, I'm just waiting for you to make it legal." Bruce was unprepared for the swell of emotion her words brought, and squeezed Tony's hand when his boyfriend pulled away from hugging her once more, tears glistening in his eyes.

"Thank you," the billionaire murmured, and Sarah patted his cheek fondly.

"Don't mention it, sweetheart." Steve was grinning at his mother, and Bruce leaned up to kiss his cheek, wondering how he'd gotten so lucky. Phil and Maria's speeches were still stuck with him; he too wouldn't change a single second of his time at Hogwarts.

The next half hour or so was full of more hugs and kisses and handshakes than he could keep track of, several people dropping by to congratulate them and check with Tony about details for the party the next day. Bruce went along with it all in a bit of a daze, having given up on keeping tears at bay a long time ago, a smile on his face as he stood with his friends and boyfriends, overwhelmed with emotion. He was hugging Pepper when he heard raised voices, and turned in alarm to see Odin stood with his arms folded over his chest, staring down at Thor and Loki. The pair were holding hands and glaring defiantly at their father, and Bruce realised with a jolt that Odin must have caught them kissing in celebration.

"How dare you both!" The bearded man exclaimed, expression thunderous. "I raised you to be proper pureblood boys, to be brothers, not to engage in such… _perversions_."

"You never raised us as brothers, Father," Thor retorted, actually standing up to his father for once. "You raised me to believe that I was better than Loki, that he was lesser because he was adopted. It was never said aloud, but I have never been stupid. All it took was you praising me and scolding him for identical things, for me to see that you were _never_ happy with his achievements. You constantly tried to shape me to become the man you wanted me to be; even when that clearly did not agree with what _I _wanted to be." The anger was clear in his tone, and Bruce rushed forward with Tony and Steve to stand with his friends in solidarity. "I love Loki in a way that is pure and untainted by your prejudice; I see him for the man he is, the man he became with no help from you, and I love every part of that man."

"You cannot blame them for loving each other, Odin," Volstagg declared, voice easily heard over the noise. Several other groups of families had paused to watch the events unfold, but none of them faltered under the scrutiny. "And you will find yourself deeply, deeply outnumbered should you try to oppose them. There is no blood relation; there is nothing morally wrong with the union."

"All you have to contest of the pairing is Loki's blood purity," Fandral remarked coolly, stood shoulder to shoulder with the Slytherin boy. "And, well, that wouldn't look very good now, would it?" Odin faltered as he watched several parents of his son's friends stand with the teenagers, glaring at him, his face turning steadily redder in anger.

"Loki has never been my son," he hissed eventually, venom in his tone as he stared at the Slytherin. "And you, Thor, are my son no longer." With that said, he stormed towards the school gates, apparating away as soon as he was past the boundary line. Bruce could see Thor and Loki practically trembling beside each other, and wished he could do something to help.

"Don't listen to him, boys." The voice startled them all, and they turned to see Frigga smiling from her place beside Sif's mother; her place stood with the people opposing her husband. "He is a bigot and a fool, and I can only apologise to you both for not seeing how he treated you." She made her way through the crowd of people until she was stood in front of her sons, placing a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. "You will _always_ be my sons, both of you. He has no power over me, nor over you, and he cannot truly disinherit you Thor without leaving himself with no heir." She smiled, leaning in to kiss their cheeks in turn. "I shall bring the rest of your belongings to the London house tomorrow, once you have settled in," she promised. "And I love you both equally, and wish you the very best in your relationship."

"You knew, didn't you," Loki surmised, and she laughed lightly, stroking his cheek.

"Oh, my dear boy, I have known from the very beginning. I merely thought it would spook you should I try and intrude. But remember, _I _am the one who washes your bedsheets." Both boys turned as red as the lining of Thor's robes, and Frigga laughed once more. "If you will excuse me, I must catch up with my husband before he damages something in his rage. But I am so proud of you, Thor, and I will see you both soon. I love you." Hugging and kissing her sons once more, she hurried away after Odin, apparating swiftly.

It was clear both Thor and Loki were shaken by the confrontation, their knuckles white where their fingers twined. Thor cleared his throat, a sheepish look crossing his pale face. "My apologies," he murmured, "we did not intend to cause a scene."

"Oh, nonsense," Fandral's mother said with a roll of her eyes, squeezing his shoulder. "You boys have nothing to apologise for; certainly not for being in love. Besides, Odin has always been a brute." Thor and Loki smiled faintly at her words, seeming to relax when they saw that everyone else supported them.

"You okay, sweetie?" Darcy asked Loki with concern in her eyes. He nodded stiffly, allowing her to tuck herself into his side.

"I'm fine," he insisted, though he looked far from it.

"I think it's time for us old folks to get going," Mrs Potts declared softly, looking around as many other parents began to disperse. "We'll all see you at pick up tomorrow, anyway." Her words seemed to be the trigger for parents to start saying their goodbyes, drawing the attention off Thor and Loki as they composed themselves, and Bruce hugged his mother tightly, kissing her cheek.

"I'm proud of you, sweetie," she told him. "I know I haven't been the best, what with your condition, but… I'm proud of you, and Tony, and the rest of your friends. I love you." Had it been three years ago, Bruce would have maybe said something harsh, would have been bitter and angry at just how much she _didn't_ cope with his condition, and how he could count the number of times she'd said the words 'I'm proud of you' to him on one hand. But he had grown so much since he was fifteen, and he knew better, and he didn't have it in him to be bitter. People made bad decisions; it wasn't his problem. He had his friends to support him when his mother didn't.

"I love you too, Mom. I'll see you tomorrow." He would only see her for an hour or so, enough to drop his stuff off, change, and head to Tony's for the party. Then he'd start the process of moving in for good with his boyfriend, and he honestly couldn't say how often he'd see his mother after that.

When the only people left stood there were teenagers, and all goodbyes had been said, the group started the walk back up to the castle, still on a high from graduation. He honestly couldn't wait for the party; a last hurrah before joining the adult world. They'd have a graduation party next year, and the year after, but they'd be different. They wouldn't be _his_.

He let out a long sigh of pleasure when he, Steve and Tony walked into their room after grabbing a quick dinner from the buffet set out in the common room, ready to spend the last night in Ravenclaw together. Immediately shrugging off his graduation robe, he spelled it to hang neatly in the wardrobe, charming Tony's to do the same as the genius just let his pool on the floor in a puddle of black velvet and royal blue silk. They really were gorgeous robes; he was of the opinion that the Ravenclaw robes were the best looking, but that could have been bias. He would probably think the Gryffindor ones most attractive next year, when Steve was wearing it. Slipping off his shoes, he grinned when Steve's arms wrapped around him from behind, leaning back into the broad chest. "Graduating top two in the year," the Gryffindor drawled slowly, reaching out with one arm to pull Tony into the embrace. "I'm in love with a pair of nerds." Bruce snorted, turning to grab him by the tie and pull him down for a kiss, feeling Tony slide a hand up the back of his shirt. Steve's suit had been tailored to perfection, and it had taken all of Bruce and Tony's combined resolve not to jump off the stage mid-ceremony and peel it off him. Now, however, they had no such restraint.

"Our nerdiness gets you hot," Tony declared smugly, undoing the buttons of Steve's shirt. "Don't deny it."

"Maybe a little," Steve conceded, smirking. "I am so proud of you both, I swear." He'd said it about fifty times already that afternoon, but the words didn't stop causing happy flutters in Bruce's chest.

"Yeah, well think how we feel, having sex with a future Head Boy," the werewolf teased in reply. Steve chuckled, leaning down for an open-mouthed kiss as his large hands slipped Bruce's belt from its loops.

"Hmm, I don't know about that," he murmured, blue eyes dark with lust and blonde hair mussed already from Tony's hands, his chest bared but for his Gryffindor tie. "I don't see much sex happening here."

"We should fix that," Tony remarked breathlessly, sucking dark lovebites up Steve's neck. "Like, now." Bruce's chest rumbled with laughter, and he easily began to walk them towards the double bed against the wall. Their last night in the Ravenclaw dorms; they were going to make the most of it.

.-.-.-.

The next morning, they were all up early to have breakfast and gather their things before catching the train to London. It took Tony a lot longer than it usual did to climb out from between Bruce and Steve in order to shower and dress that morning; as much as he was looking forward to leaving, to living with Bruce and being able to put all his effort into working for Stark Industries, he really was going to miss Hogwarts. He owed pretty much everything good in his life to the school, and to the friends he'd made there.

Walking between his two lovers with the rest of their friends on the way down to Hogsmeade station, his shrunken trunk in his pocket, Tony paused to look over his shoulder, back at the castle. It was hard to believe that it was only seven years ago he had set eyes upon it for the very first time. He could remember it, clear as day; the bitter cold of the wind off the lake's surface as the boats took them across, trying not to stare overtly at Bruce as he attempted to figure out why he was so intrigued by his new friend, stomach churning with nerves about the upcoming sorting. He'd been such a different person back then.

A pair of dry lips pressing against his cheek snapped him out of his reminiscing, and he turned to see Bruce at his side, smiling knowingly. "We've got too much ahead of us to wish we could go back," he murmured softly. Steve's arms wound around him from behind, thick and comforting around his waist, and Tony sighed. Bruce was right; they had so much to look forward to. Their whole lives ahead of them, really. But Hogwarts had been home for seven years, and would still be home to Steve for one more, and a large part of Tony wished things could stay the way they were for just a while longer. He didn't know if he was ready to grow up yet.

"Yeah, okay." An arm around each of his lovers, he turned away from the castle, looking to where the rest of their group were waiting for them, closer to the train. Leaving Hogwarts was the end of a huge part of his life, but it was the beginning of an even bigger one. A beginning that would truly start with the party that was set to begin in a mere ten hours. He smiled to himself at the thought, imagining drinking, dancing, friends, and the chance to get all up on his sexy boyfriends without anyone complaining. Well; start as you mean to go on.


	68. Fandral

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 1007_

* * *

**3 Months Post-Graduation**

.-.

Hands in the pockets of his trousers, Fandral leaned against the lamppost and watched the crowd of excitable Hogwarts students flooding the village, chatting to each other with grins on their faces and their cheeks pink from the late-September cold. It was hard to believe that three months ago, he'd been part of that. Everything seemed so different, now.

A grin tugged at his lips as he spotted a familiar red and grey knitted hat bobbing along through the crowd; the hat Frigga had knitted Sif years ago, and she still kept. Pushing away from the lamppost, he made his way through the crowd, beaming by the time he reached his younger friend. She smiled widely in reply, rushing into him for a tight hug. It had only been three and a half weeks since they had last seen each other, but it felt like years. "Oh, my dear, it is so wonderful to see you," he murmured, kissing her forehead.

"Have you come alone?" she asked, surprised, peering over his shoulder for a sign of Volstagg or Hogun.

"Indeed," he confirmed. "Thor is around here somewhere with Loki, but we thought it might be a little overwhelming for you to have us all back at once." Her cheeks flushed, and he smiled at her; there was no shame in missing them, as he had told her when she'd cried before boarding the train at the beginning of the year. "But they have promised to come with me next time.

"Then I look forward to it," Sif said, grinning. "They are both probably busy preparing for auror training, anyway." Their training didn't start for another two weeks, but both of them were learning as many new spells and charms as possible, wanting to be as ready for it as they possibly could. They planned to be top of their class along with Phil, Maria, Thor and Peggy, and knew they would need the edge.

"How are you?" Fandral asked, eyes darkening briefly in concern. He saw several girls in Darcy's year trying to catch his eye across the courtyard, but ignored them; he was there to visit Sif, not to revisit his days as the Hogwarts Casanova.

"I'm fine," she replied, laughing, and her arm linked through his as they started walking further into the village, no particular destination in mind. It wasn't yet cold enough to need refuge in the Three Broomsticks, and this early in the visit all the shops would no doubt be crowded. "And yourself?" They had spoken on the phone and on video chat, of course, but it wasn't the same as in-person conversation.

"Very well, thank you. Though I must admit, living with Volstagg and Hogun outside the carefully organised walls of Hogwarts is… an experience," he added wryly, making her giggle. "Neither of them are particularly fastidious in keeping tidy."

"And I'm sure you're _so_ much better," she teased, rolling her eyes. "You shall get used to it, in time. And I doubt your parents would mind lending you a house elf, should you be incapable of keeping on top of things yourself." Fandral frowned; the last thing he wanted was to ask for a house elf, after the arguments he'd made for his ability to live independently.

"So how are things?" he asked, the humour gone from his tone. "Be honest with me, Sif. How is Hogwarts without us all around?" She sighed, biting her lip, and leant into his side a little more.

"Unnervingly quiet," she said eventually. "Clint and Natasha are, of course, keeping the good Headmaster fairly occupied, but everything is so quiet without you all. It feels like the castle has half as many people in it than it did last year." Fandral frowned; he had heard much of the same from her already, and from Loki and Steve as well when he'd spoken with them, but he'd been hoping that would change as they got into the flow of classes.

"Well, one month down, only nine to go," he encouraged, squeezing her hand.

"Quite." She hummed, frowning slightly. "Though I must admit, I do regret an entire childhood of wishing you boys would all just leave me alone. I find I do not know what to do with myself without you around." He smiled fondly at that, remembering eleven year-old Sif on her first day of Hogwarts declaring vehemently that she didn't need babysitters and they were to all leave her alone and stop being so overprotective. Admittedly, they had all been somewhat stifling in her earlier school years, before they had a wider friend group to trust with her safety and happiness, but they did it out of love. For all of them, from practically the day Sif had been born, they were all told that keeping her well and happy was paramount. She was their sister in everything but blood, and they were to treat her as such.

"Soon enough you will no doubt find that you cannot imagine how you coped with us around all the time," he remarked playfully. "You are an intelligent, independent, strong young woman who will do marvellous things without us around. Natasha may be Head Girl, but you are first in your class in almost all of your subjects, and Gryffindor will no doubt win the Quidditch Cup this year." Hufflepuff had won it last year, thanks to Clint's overwhelming determination to do so once more before Phil graduated, but Fandral was sure it was Gryffindor's turn now. "I have confidence that you will leave all us idiot men in the dust when you graduate."

Sif laughed, leaning up to peck his cheek playfully. "I have no desire to leave you in the dust," she promised. "Dragging you along with me, however, is a viable option." He snorted, stopping in his tracks to wrap her in a tight bear-hug, ignoring her squeak of alarm. Oh, how he hoped the next year flew by quickly. He had missed her.


	69. Phil

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 1243_

* * *

**6 Months Post-Graduation**

.-.

His hair sweat-dampened and his face flushed, Phil's shoulders slumped in relief when the whistle went off, calling for lunch break. Well into his Auror Training by now, they were really beginning to pick up the pace. Not for the first time, he was beginning to regret choosing the DMLE instead of something more bureaucratic. Then he imagined sitting behind a desk for the next thirty years, and instantly the endurance runs and tag-team duels didn't seem so bad.

Heading out of the gym and towards the lift to the cafeteria, Phil stooped to pick up his bag on the way, digging through it for his water bottle. The liquid was cool down his parched throat, and he had to stop himself from drinking the entire thing in one go, stowing it back in his bag. He would get used to the increase in training; they had only just started a new regimen, so of course it was gruelling. Though he'd probably be doing a lot better if he could get a full eight hours sleep every night. The perils of being a year older than his boyfriend. Pulling his phone from his bag, he fired off a quick text to Clint, asking if he wanted company for the night, and then another text to Tasha asking if he could come through her fireplace. Clint was unlikely to say no, but if he had a huge pile of work to do Phil didn't want to be a distraction.

Two confirmation texts quickly lit up his screen in response, Clint's far more vehement than Tasha's, and Phil grinned to himself as he stowed his phone away, stepping into the empty lift. Pressing the button for the cafeteria floor, he startled when a tall man in a long black robe slipped in beside him, reaching across to press his own button. The Department of Mysteries; of course. With the hood keeping his face in shadow, he could hardly be from anywhere else. Trying not to stare at the man, or show any discomfort whatsoever, Phil tensed when the hooded man reached over once more, pressing the emergency stop. Hand already preparing to release his wand from its holster, Phil didn't move, staring intently at the man to guess his intentions.

"Phil Coulson," the man declared, his voice quiet. He looked up, staring straight back at Phil, and the nineteen year-old noticed there was an obscuring charm over his face. It made him look somewhat pixellated and fuzzy, and trying to stare directly into his eyes made Phil's brain hurt.

"That's me," Phil confirmed, hoping his racing heart wasn't as loud as it seemed to be to his ears. "And you are?" The man chuckled, the sound short and almost like a cough.

"My name is classified. But you can call me Stretch." Raising an eyebrow, Phil folded his arms over his chest.

"And your motives for the astonishingly creepy way of getting me alone…?" Stretch laughed again, and Phil imagined he was grinning behind the obscuring charm. Of course, he could just be saying that to make himself feel better.

"We've been watching you," he informed the teen, one hand bracing himself on the railing as he leaned back against the elevator wall. "Down in the Department. You and your little buddies, as a matter of fact. Fury told us to keep an eye on you, said you'd run circles around the whole Ministry if you put your minds to it. Considering you're friends with Stark, I don't doubt that's completely possible." Phil tried not to let his surprise show on his face.

"You know Fury?" he inquired, keeping his voice level.

"Of course we do, kid. He used to work for us, back in the day. And he knows what qualities we're looking for in a person, and where to point us in the right direction," Stretch added, the smirk audible in his tone. A heavy feeling of inevitability settled in Phil's stomach, but he didn't jump to conclusions just yet. "We want to offer you a position with the Unspeakables. Dependent on your results once you've been through Auror Training, of course, but the way you're going that isn't likely to be a problem. We need more men like you, Phil Coulson, and anyone who has watched your little group for more than ten minutes can tell that you are the turning point of your generation. The brains and connections between you all, it's obvious that change is coming, and it's on your shoulders. And we can't afford to let that happen without our input."

"Do you want me, or my social life?" Phil retorted, drawing another laugh from the man.

"Funny. No, Coulson, we want you. We have done since Fury flagged you, middle of your fifth year. You're not the only one we want, but we have this little thing about confidentiality and whatnot."

"Go figure," Phil replied with a snort, and Stretch snickered.

"Yeah, never would've guessed, right? So, what do you say? You have another four months of basic training before you're split for specialties. We'll snatch you up then, and as far as everyone else will be concerned, you did your basic and took an admin job for the DMLE, on auror reserve. This is an offer you only get once, so think carefully." Frowning, Phil ran a hand through his hair. It was an incredible offer — he'd thought most people had to prove themselves for years before going to the DoM, though of course no one was ever really sure of their selection process — but he had his family to think about.

"I want to talk it over with my partner," he said eventually, looking back up at Stretch.

"Barton, right? Still at Hogwarts?" Phil nodded, unsurprised they knew that information. Like Stretch had said, he'd been watching them all. "You trust him?"

"With my life," Phil answered without hesitation. "And he can keep a secret." Clint's best friend was a Russian spy in her school holidays, of course he could keep a secret.

"Well, lucky for you, every Unspeakable is allowed one person in on the secret. But it's one, and one person only, so if you tell Barton you'll have to lie to your parents. None of your other friends can know." Stifling a smirk, Phil tried not to look outwardly smug. He didn't need to tell his friends for them to know; they were smart. They'd figure it out.

"I want to talk to Clint," he insisted. "He's my one person."

"Noted," Stretch replied. "I want an answer within the month. Don't try to find me; I'll know when you need to talk."

"Deal," Phil agreed, then raised an eyebrow. "Now can I get lunch and sit down for five minutes before I have to go do three hundred pushups?" Stretch snickered, gesturing to the row of buttons, including the button that would reverse the emergency stop.

"We're done here." Phil reached over to press the button and make the lift go, and with a slight gust of wind he was suddenly alone in the small metal box. Cursing to himself, he shook his head, a reluctant smile on his face. Flashy asshole.

Hitching his bag higher up his shoulder, he pulled out his phone once more, texting Clint a confirmation on the time he'd be over. He had even more of a reason to visit, now.


	70. Maria

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 1294_

* * *

**8 Months Post-Graduation**

.-.

Glaring at a group of fifth-year Slytherins who seemed to think they were her friends somehow, Maria smirked as they immediately made their excuses to leave, ducking away from their ex-housemate. Morons. They should know better than to think she was just hanging around in Hogsmeade with nothing to do.

Checking her watch, she rolled her eyes to herself, unsurprised Natasha was late. She had been busy with preparing for the final quidditch match of the year, and it was just about all she had been able to concentrate on recently. Maria would be glad when the quidditch season ended and Tasha could concentrate on important things, like exams. Breaking from her thoughts as she spotted fiery red hair, she couldn't contain her grin, Tasha smiling back as she came closer. "Fancy meeting you here," the younger girl greeted, wrapping an arm around Maria's waist and pulling her into a long kiss. Maria melted easily into the embrace, both hands cupping Natasha's face to bring her ever closer.

"Missed you," she murmured against her girlfriend's lips, feeling them curve into a smile.

"Missed you, too. Happy Valentine's Day." It wasn't actually Valentine's Day, that having been two days ago, but it was the closest weekend to it. They'd had a little time together on the day thanks to Tony's modifications to the fireplace, but it was nice to go on an actual date sometimes.

"Back at you. Come on, let's go in and grab a table, it's freezing," Maria urged, letting one hand fall down to twine in Tasha's gloved one, leading her into the Three Broomsticks. It was busy inside, but not so much that they couldn't find a booth tucked back in the corner. Across the room, Maria saw Tony and Bruce sat visiting Steve, the pair staring adoringly at their third like they could hardly believe he was there in person. They hadn't seen each other in a while due to their respective workloads, she knew; that had to be rough on them. She and Tasha didn't intrude, merely waving when Steve caught sight of them.

"Are the others around somewhere, then?" Tasha presumed, sliding into the booth to sit with her shoulder pressed to Maria's. The older girl draped an arm around her, humming in confirmation.

"Yeah, all the usual suspects. Phil's been planning a thing for Clint for a while now, some secluded dinner in a heated bubble or something," she supplied. Tasha's eyebrows rose in inquiry.

"He's not going for it today, is he?" she asked, surprised. A smile on her lips, Maria shook her head.

"Nah, he's saving it for graduation, like he always said." Phil always said he didn't want to propose to Clint while he was still in school. He would have done it years ago if he didn't mind so much. "But enough about them, today is our day. What've you been up to?"

"What, in the two days since we last saw each other?" Tasha returned, amused. Rolling her eyes, Maria nudged her girlfriend's side. "Not much I haven't told you about already, like I said. Quidditch stuff, exam stuff, hanging with everyone. I swear to Merlin, we're all about _this_ close to just giving up on the whole dorm rooms thing and setting up permanently in the Room of Requirement. With so few of us in now, we're realising just how many people we've been going to school with for years and never spoken to."

Their conversation paused as a waitress came up to take their orders, before Maria turned back to Tasha, smiling. "That's to be expected, though. You're not expected to make friends with everyone you go to school with. Hell, I don't think I've talked to anyone but our crowd since I graduated." A couple of people from her class were also at the Auror Academy, but she still hadn't talked much to them. And, well, after the offer she'd been given for her career after basic, she wasn't going to be talking to many other people. Not ones she knew the names of, anyway.

"Yeah, but when the only contact I have with my housemates is homesick first years and third year girls panicking about periods and shit, you know something is wrong," Tasha retorted, making her grimace.

"Yeah, I don't miss that." Natasha snorted at her words, leaning in for a slow kiss.

"I can deal with it for the private room," she murmured, eyes dark and fond. "But the sooner this year is over, the better."

"Only a few more months until freedom," Maria agreed, kissing her again. "And you're home for Easter, right? Or at Tony's, at least." Tasha had spent Christmas with Maria's family, explaining that her parents were away on business. It had been the best four weeks of Maria's young life.

"Uh, yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that," Natasha started, sounding somewhat apprehensive. Maria frowned, wondering what was up.

"Sure, what about it?" she asked, smiling briefly at the waitress as her lunch was placed in front of her. Tasha waited until the woman was gone before speaking once more, her voice soft and hesitant.

"My father called me the other day; him and Mom are on medical leave through all of Easter break. Everything's fine," she added hastily at Maria's alarmed look. "Just a mission gone wrong, nothing serious, they just need a little time to heal up. But, uh, he asked if I could come home to Russia for Easter." Maria tried not to let her disappointment show on her face; since they had started dating, Tasha had only ever spent a week or two at a time in Russia with her family, even in summer. The rest of the time she spent with whoever would take her, or had stayed at school.

"Oh." Plastering a smile on her face, Maria squeezed Tasha's thigh under the table. "That's good, right? It'll be nice for you to have a little quality time with your parents." She couldn't exactly begrudge her for that; she hardly ever saw her parents.

"Yeah, it'll be great," Tasha replied quietly. "But, uh, I was wondering if you maybe… wanted to come with me?" Seeing Maria freeze in surprise, Tasha carried on. "I know you can't do the whole break because of work and stuff, but maybe a week or two? I mean, we've been together for a while now, and they kinda want to meet you. Preferably before graduation when they're just likely to see me making out with you every chance I get."

"You mean you won't be doing that over Easter?" Maria retorted flirtatiously, obviously deflecting. Tasha smirked, leaning in for a kiss and nipping at Maria's lip.

"Oh, I will," she promised. "But only if you're there for me to do so. What do you say?" Swallowing, Maria hesitated, thinking it over. She was scared, sure; they were her girlfriend's parents, and they were freaking _assassins_, but… it was bound to happen eventually. And if she could get their approval, that would be amazing.

"I'd love to," she confirmed, grinning as Natasha beamed at her. "Just let me know which weeks."

"I love you," Tasha declared softly, kissing her. Maria smirked, winking.

"I know you do. Now come on, let's eat this before it gets cold, then you can sneak me into the castle for a little fun." Tasha laughed, pulling away to pick up her knife and fork, and Maria couldn't stop grinning as they ate, the conversation turning to more mundane topics. She was going to meet Natasha's parents, after almost two years of dating. Screw Phil's proposal, _that_ was a giant step in a relationship. Hopefully it would be successful.


	71. Clint

_**Chapter **__**Wordcount:**__ 1706_

* * *

**1 Year Post-Graduation**

.-.

Clint took a deep breath as he looked at himself in the mirror one last time, a grin on his face that he couldn't shake. It was hard to believe that a year ago, Phil had been in that position, wearing Hufflepuff graduation robes and staring his future in the face. As much as Clint had loved his years at Hogwarts, he was ready to move on with the rest of his friends. Squaring his shoulders, he turned from the room and walked through to the main common room, seeing Rhodey stood chatting to the rest of their dormmates, and Darcy waiting for him by the coffee table. She grinned upon seeing him, opening her arms for a hug. "Don't you scrub up nicely," she teased, squeezing him tight. "All grown up and leaving me on my lonesome." He felt a stab of guilt, but pushed it away, grinning back at her.

"You've got Loki, you're not on your own. I should worry more about the safety of the school; without the rest of us around to keep you in check, you two will have this whole place under your thumb within the first week," he teased, making her laugh. "Come on, let's go get the others and get you a seat. Rhodey!" he called, causing the other boy to look up. "You coming, or what?" Rhodey smiled, clapping one of his friends on the shoulder before heading over to join them, and together the three of them left the common room for the last time, heading for the Entrance Hall. Clint took one last look back as he did so, smiling to himself. He had a lot of good memories of Hufflepuff, but leaving wouldn't mean he'd forget them. How could he possibly forget the first time he'd kissed Phil?

Gathering the rest of their friends, and having to wait the requisite three minutes for Darcy and Bucky to stop making out before they could forcibly separate them, Clint said goodbye to Darcy and Loki as they went outside to find seats with the rest of their group. Stood between Tasha and Steve, Clint was practically vibrating with excitement by the time Selvig came to collect them, sorting them into house groups and lining them up by alphabetical order to lead them out onto the grounds, where everything was set up. "Here goes nothing," he murmured to Tasha before they were parted, earning a grin from the redhead. She was looking forward to freedom just as much as he was; the only person who wasn't was Bucky, who hated to be leaving Darcy behind.

He honestly couldn't tell you what Fury said in his speech, or the details of what Steve and Tasha were saying in their Head of School speeches. Tony was filming it all, he'd watch it later. All he could concentrate on was the sight of the group of people sitting in the crowd that were there for him and his friends. A few of his friends from the circus had turned up to watch him graduate, as well as, of course, his friends from school. And, most importantly, Phil. His boyfriend was sat between Pepper and Maria, his eyes fixed firmly on Clint and the proudest look on his face that the archer had ever seen. They had spent the night together thanks to the fireplace in Tasha's room, wanting to have sex with Clint as a student one last time, but Phil had left early to give him time to prepare. Obviously he'd gone to change and shower, too; the older Hufflepuff looked dashing in a smart suit, and Clint couldn't wait to peel him out of it after the ceremony.

When Fury called his name, Clint stood with his back straight and his chest puffed out in pride, walking over to shake the headmaster's hand and accept his diploma. Fury smirked at him, magical eye spinning in its socket. "Good riddance, Barton," he muttered, making Clint laugh.

"You're almost free of us all, sir. Then you've just got Parker to deal with." Fury glared at him with both eyes, and Clint moved to the centre of the stage to take a bow before returning to his seat. When everyone had gotten their diplomas, they stood as a group, tossing their pointed hats into the air as Fury declared them officially graduated. Not bothering to look for his hat in the crowd, knowing it would turn up later, Clint dodged around a group of hugging Ravenclaw girls to grab Tasha around the waist, lifting her from the ground. "We did it!" he crowed, pressing a smacking kiss to her cheek. "It was a little touch and go in some places, but we made it the whole way through." She laughed, rolling her eyes and hugging him back once he set her down.

"Oh, shut up, there was never any doubt we'd make it," she retorted, slipping her hand into his. "Now come on, let's go find the others." Nodding, knowing there was no point in trying to find the rest of their graduating friends in the crush, they jumped off the stage to make their way over to the group gathered for them. Steve and Bucky had already made it there, allowing their mothers to fuss over them before turning to their significant others, and Clint glanced over at Olivia from the circus with an enquiring eyebrow. She grinned at him, gesturing towards Phil, and he grinned back; he'd get hugs from them all later.

Phil was beaming when Clint found him, and the older man immediately grabbed him by his house tie, yanking him into a firm kiss. "Congratulations," he said when they eventually parted, still grinning. "I am so damn proud of you." Clint hummed, kissing him again, his brain still processing his impending freedom. He and Phil could go to bed together every single night for the rest of their lives, from now on. No scheduling days around work and school and whether Tasha's room was free or she had Maria over. They were going to be moving into an apartment together in a couple of months. The future was finally happening.

When they pulled away from each other, Clint opened his mouth to say something, only to gape as Phil went down on one knee right on the grass in front of him, the entire crowd of people still around to watch them. "Oh my God," Clint breathed, and Phil gave him a lopsided grin, reaching into his pocket.

"I've been planning this moment for longer than I should probably admit to," he began, slightly sheepish. "And every single time I thought about it, I could never figure out what to say. What the hell can I tell you that I haven't already said before? So I figured I'd just wing it and see how things go." Clint snorted, speechless as Phil's hand came out of his pocket, holding a small black box. Holy shit. This was really happening. "We met at Hogwarts. We first kissed at Hogwarts, we fell in love at Hogwarts. Almost all of our relationship milestones were at Hogwarts, so I figured this one should be, too. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Clint. I've known that since I was fourteen years old. So, I suppose, the only thing left for me to say, is…" He paused, flicking open the box and offering it to Clint, showing the ring inside. "Clint Barton, will you marry me?"

"Yes," Clint answered before his lover had even finished, pouncing on him so hard they both fell to the ground, Clint straddling Phil's waist and neither of them caring about grass stains. "Yes, of course, you gorgeous bastard, that's not even a question, _yes_!" Pressing his lips to Phil's in order to stop himself babbling, Clint thought he might physically explode with happiness. They were going to get _married_. Sure, he'd known it would happen eventually, but faced with an actual proposal he became a blubbering mess of emotion.

Pulling away in order to let Phil sit up, Clint grinned at his now fiancé, who beamed back, looking just as deliriously happy as Clint felt. He carefully pulled the ring from its cushion in the box, taking Clint's hand in his own to slide it onto his finger. The archer was vaguely aware of people all around them clapping and cheering, but the only thing he could see in the world was Phil, and the way the ring looked on his finger. A wide band of several interwoven silver strands, a single star-shaped amethyst set in the middle, with two tiny diamonds on either side. It was perfect. "I love you," he declared, making Phil chuckle.

"I should hope so," he agreed, leaning in for a kiss. He looked down at the ring admiringly, then glanced up at Clint. "I've had that ring since the summer after my fifth year, y'know? I saw it in a jewellers' when I was looking for a birthday present for Mom, and, well, I just knew." Clint's eyes went wide in amazement.

"So all those jokes, about having the ring picked out, you weren't kidding?" Phil shook his head, a smile on his face.

"All completely true. I just didn't want to freak you out," he admitted. Clint looked down at the ring once more, imagining it sitting hidden in Phil's trunk somewhere for all this time.

"Why the hell would I have freaked out? I've wanted to marry you since I was like, thirteen," he pointed out dryly. Getting to his feet, he pulled Phil up with him, tugging him into one last kiss before they could be crowded by their friends and family, all wanting to congratulate them. "Looks like we've got more than one thing to celebrate at the party tonight," he murmured under his breath, then smirked. "And _after_ the party." Phil's eyes darkened, but before he could respond he was jumped on by a grinning Darcy, and Clint chuckled as he let Tasha grab his hand and look at the ring, congratulating him all the while. Yeah, the future was going to be _pretty_ sweet.


	72. Bruce

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 1150_

* * *

**1 Year, 1 Month Post-Graduation**

.-.

Artificial sunlight gently roused Bruce from slumber, and he kept his eyes closed as he breathed deeply, chasing the last whispers of sleep in the hopes of returning to unconsciousness. But it wasn't to be, and he let himself bask in the scents of home and green and Steve and Tony all intermingled. He'd spent every moon for the past year, and several moons before that, in that room; the special room Tony had enchanted in the top floor of their house, the one that mimicked a forest right down to the scent and feel. But this was the first moon since Steve's graduation — the first moon since _freedom_. For once the wolf hadn't been morose at the absence of one of his mates, or aware that Steve was only there for that moon and would be gone the next. They had spent the entire night playing like a group of puppies, chasing and wrestling and exchanging happy snuffles. Bruce could still feel his wolf's lingering satisfaction at finally, permanently, having his mates back. Steve and Tony would be there for every moon from then on, and Bruce was actually sort-of looking forward to it.

Finally cracking an eye open, Bruce smiled to himself as he looked at Tony and Steve, curled up on either side of him, still in animal forms. They were on the low futon Tony had put in the room specifically for post-moon snuggles, and Bruce propped himself up on his elbow, reaching across to gently shake Steve's shoulder. The German Shepherd blinked open large brown eyes, jaw going wide in a yawn before he twitched an ear at Bruce and reverted back to Steve's human form, just as naked as Bruce was. "Good morning, beautiful," the blonde greeted fondly, one large hand reaching over to cup Bruce's jaw and pull him into a tender kiss that never failed to steal Bruce's breath. "Sleep well?"

"Like a log," the werewolf confirmed, smiling. "You?"

"Never better. Think we should wake Tony?" Bruce smirked, shuffling closer to Steve until he was practically on top of the muscular man.

"In a minute. I've missed you," he murmured, one hand resting on Steve's shoulder. "So has my wolf."

"I've missed you both too," Steve replied, ducking his head to press his forehead to Bruce's. They both knew he wasn't referring to Bruce and Tony, and it made Bruce grin. "But we've got all the time in the world to make up for it." Bruce hummed happily as he drew Steve into another kiss; he liked the sound of it. Parting, they both looked over at the coyote curled at the other side of the bed, completely dead to the world. Bruce smirked deviously, sliding a hand down Steve's chest and into his boxers, hearing him gasp at the contact.

"You think if we smell horny enough it'll wake him up?" he asked, pumping Steve leisurely. Steve grinned, threading one hand through Bruce's haphazard curls.

"Why don't we try and find out?" he retorted, shifting to allow Bruce to rut against his thigh, pulling him in with a hand splayed on his back. Kissing him hotly, Bruce felt his arousal increase at the smell coming from himself and Steve, his senses heightened due to the moon the night before. He would never, ever tire of the way Steve smelled when he was turned on, or Tony. It was like a drug to him.

Feeling his climax drawing closer, Bruce glanced back at Tony, chuckling to himself when he saw the coyote had turned a little to face them, and was watching with his head on his front paws, a definite smirk on his face. "We have an audience," he whispered into Steve's ear, drawing the blonde's attention to the coyote, and Steve huffed out a laugh as he bucked into Bruce's touch.

"You're such a pervert, Tony," he teased, earning a wink from the animal. Both of them aware they were now definitely putting on a show, they made sure to turn and arch to give Tony the best angle. It wasn't unusual for him to watch, either before or after the three of them were together. Bruce and Steve usually needed an extra round to get to the same state of boneless pleasure as Tony, due to their increased stamina. Tony was a voyeur anyway, so it worked well for everyone involved.

Bruce gasped into Steve's mouth as he came against the Gryffindor's abs, feeling Steve's own release into his hand. Slumping breathlessly against his younger lover, uncaring of the rapidly cooling sticky patch between them, he looked over at Tony, who had actually rolled onto his side to make lying down with an erection more comfortable. It didn't faze Bruce in the slightest; they'd gotten used to dog-boners pretty early on in their relationship after they had started spending moons together. Hell, Tony was still trying to convince them both to try sex in animal form.

"Come on, Tony," Steve urged, amused. "You can't join in like that." The coyote let out a low whine, but a split second later Tony was lying there in human form, his arousal just as noticeable.

"I dunno, I was enjoying watching," he teased in reply. "I mean, what a sight to wake up to. Damn, you two are gorgeous together. I am the luckiest little shit, I swear to God."

"Get over here and let us take care of you, sweetheart," Steve urged, lust-darkened eyes fixed on Tony's naked body. The genius smirked, not wasting time in crossing the bed to join them, Steve tugging him into a kiss as Bruce let his hands roam Tony's body, tracing the firm lines of his muscles. This was secretly Bruce's favourite part of having Tony sit out the first round; when he and Steve had taken the edge off enough to concentrate on turning Tony into a quivering puddle of pleasure between them. There was something incredibly intimate about being allowed to take Tony so completely apart like that, to break down his barriers in a way that only the pair of them were ever allowed to.

"Wait a second," Tony breathed, pulling away from Steve's mouth on his neck. "JARVIS, when's our first work commitment?"

"All three of you are free until your meeting at five, Sir," JARVIS replied, his voice coming in from nowhere. Tony smirked, and Bruce matched the expression, before his turned far more predatory, his wandering hands zeroing in on their goal.

"Looks like we can stay in bed all afternoon then, hmm?" he mused, already hard and ready to go again. So was Steve beside him, by the feel of things. Grinning to himself, Bruce leaned over Steve to kiss Tony hard, moaning breathlessly into it. Damn, he was going to enjoy having Steve around all the time.


	73. Sif

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 1002_

* * *

**1 Year, 5 Months Post-Graduation**

.-.

Head pounding with the beginnings of a mild hangover, Sif stifled a groan as she woke, too hot in her bed. A squinted glance at her clock showed it was just gone nine, and the arm draped over her waist explained the heat. Rolling over, she smiled to herself, eyeing her bedfellow. He really was quite attractive. Light brown hair mussed in sleep, a strong jawline dusted in stubble, and she definitely remembered piercing green eyes and an excellent body. Still, he hadn't been much of a conversationalist.

Carefully sliding out from underneath his arm, she crept from the bed and reached for a t-shirt and her pyjama trousers, leaving him to sleep while she shuffled into the hallway. Fandral and Volstagg were awake already and eating breakfast at the kitchen table, and they smiled cheerfully at her. "Good morning, my dear," Volstagg greeted. "Sleep well? You look tired."

"I slept fine, thank you. Where has Hogun gotten to?" she queried, pulling two mugs down from the cupboard and starting up the coffee machine, then putting four slices of bread in the toaster. Neither of her companions asked why she was making breakfast for two, and she didn't offer up the explanation.

"He was training late yesterday, he has the morning off," Fandral explained. "Lazy bugger is still in bed. Did you want an omelette? I can make one for you if you wish." Her stomach protested at the prospect of eating something as large as an omelette, and she shook her head.

"No, thank you. I'll eat properly later," she promised. He frowned at her, but didn't argue, and she turned back to the coffee machine as it finished brewing, pouring out two mugs and digging through the fridge for the milk. "Are you two off to work soon?" Hopefully they would leave fairly quickly, and she could see her guest out without trouble.

"In a while, but there's no rush," Volstagg replied, draining his mug of tea. "You have the day off today, yes?" She hummed in confirmation; she'd had a three-day training exercise over the weekend, and had a day's reprieve after it. Sipping at her coffee, she picked up both mugs and turned to head back to her room, only to freeze as the door opened. Her friend from the night before wandered out, dressed only in boxers and yawning, and he froze when he spotted the two boys with Sif in the kitchen.

"Oh," he greeted dumbly. "Oops. Are these, uh, your flatmates?"

"Fandral and Volstagg," Sif introduced, pointing to them each in turn. "Boys, this is… James?" she attempted, and he grinned sheepishly.

"Jack," he corrected. Running a hand through his hair, he glanced back at Fandral and Volstagg, who were looking at him with uncomfortable expressions on their faces. All three men were silent, just staring awkwardly, and Sif rolled her eyes.

"Go back to bed, Jack. I'll bring coffee and toast in," she told him, earning a grateful look. Jack made a quick retreat, and Sif took the butter from the fridge as the toast popped up, grabbing two plates.

"You didn't tell us you were bringing a… _friend_ home, Sif," Volstagg started, making her huff in annoyance.

"It wasn't exactly planned," she pointed out dryly. "And the three of you bring _friends_ home unannounced all the time. I didn't think it would be a problem."

"So you did not know him before last night, then?" the redhead presumed, brow furrowed.

"No, I didn't, and I don't plan to continue getting to know him." Both men grimaced at her words, and she snorted. "I'm not a child anymore, and you could hardly expect me to stay one forever. I am a woman, and I may do as I wish. Merlin knows you did throughout school."

"We know you are," Fandral cut in swiftly, clearly sensing her impending anger. "We just want you to be safe, and to respect yourself and make others respect you. Should you need me, or any one of us — with any of your… gentleman friends, not just this one — just call and we shall come running." Sif smiled at him, glad he was at least letting the subject lie for now. No doubt it would come up at a later date, but they had company. It wasn't the time.

Rounding the table, she ducked down between them to kiss them each on the cheek in turn. "If it makes you feel better," she started. "I wish I could have broken it to you in a more gentle way." She did feel somewhat guilty; obviously learning she was sexually active was a little too much for their overprotective brains this early in the morning.

"We do not begrudge you this, Sif," Volstagg insisted. "It was just… a shock. You are our sister, and in my mind at least, you are still twelve years old." Sif laughed, rolling her eyes fondly at him as she moved to take the two mugs of coffee, levitating the toast plates in her wake.

"I am twenty, Volstagg. Twelve years old was a long time ago," she teased, making him grin.

"Yes, but could you not leave me to my delusions a while longer?" he asked jokingly. Sticking her tongue out at him, she made for the door, pausing in the doorway and turning back.

"Boys?" she began, an innocent expression on her face. "Considering your reactions, I feel it would be best if dear Hogun heard of this from you both, don't you think? Excellent. Have a good day at work, both of you, and I shall see you when you return home." Darting from the kitchen before they could argue, she slipped into her bedroom, a grin on her face as she greeted Jack once more. Yes; telling Hogun just how grown up she was could definitely be left to the boys. Although, should Jack's timing continue to be terrible, she may not get that option.


	74. Steve

_**Chapter Wordcount: **__1471_

* * *

**1 Year, 10 Months Post-Graduation**

.-.

Sketchbook perched on his lap and pencil in hand, Steve smiled to himself as he glanced up at the scene in front of him, looking back down to sketch in a few more lines. It wasn't often he got all of their friends and family gathered in one place, and practically a miracle to get them in such beautiful lighting, with the sun just beginning to set. He had to take the opportunity while it arose.

Leaning back against the tree and paying careful attention to the flare of Darcy's dress as she made Bucky spin her on the dance floor, Steve didn't notice as a suit-clad figure wandered over towards him from the buffet table, grinning. "So this is where you've been hiding." Startling, the blonde looked up, smiling sheepishly at his lover.

"Hey, Tony. Sorry, were you looking for me?" Tony raised an eyebrow at him, hands in his pockets.

"Babe, of course I've been looking for you. What are you doing all the way over here?" He looked gorgeous, dressed in a sharp charcoal thee-piece suit with a dark red tie and pocket square that matched the ones Steve and Bruce were wearing. His hair was less neat than it had been that morning, and his shirt was untucked, his jacket abandoned a while ago and shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Steve loved him looking more casual; not that he hadn't been breathtaking with everything in place and pristine.

"I just wanted to preserve the memories. Have a record of the day, y'know?" Steve murmured, tilting his sketchbook so Tony could peer around and look at it. It was only a base sketch, with a few elements picked out in finer detail, but it wasn't finished yet. Tony's hand rested in Steve's hair, carding through it gently.

"That's what photos are for, handsome," he pointed out, reaching out a hand to pull Steve to his feet, tugging him into a kiss. Steve didn't protest, hand settling on Tony's hip, and they were both smiling when they parted. Tony eased Steve's sketchbook from his hand, shutting it and shrinking it down to fit in his pocket, winking at his younger lover. "It's our wedding day, babe. We're only gonna get one of them. You should enjoy it from the centre, not from the sidelines." Steve couldn't help but grin, kissing him again. Their _wedding_. They were _married_.

"Yeah, you're right," he agreed, an apologetic twist to his lips.

"I'm always right. Now come on; this party is gonna go on past midnight, and I'll be damned if I miss one glorious second of it," Tony replied, twining their fingers more securely and dragging Steve back towards the crowd of people. Steve went easily, looking down at their joined hands and feeling a bubble of joy rise in his chest at the sight of their matching gold rings. It still felt like a bit of a dream; they'd spent so long planning the damn thing, it was hard to believe it was actually here and done and official. The ceremony had been perfect, held outside in an arboretum that Steve had loved visiting as a kid. It was in New York — of course it was, it had to be New York — and all their friends and family were there, and Tony and Bruce had looked so beautiful and _happy_ standing at the altar with him. It had taken a fair amount of bribery and quite a few pulled strings before a marriage between the three of them was legally binding, but they had all refused anything less. He and Tony had wanted to smack Bruce over the head when he suggested they get married and leave him out of it legally, as bringing werewolf rights into it would only complicate things. Steve had been dead set on the matter, and Tony the same; all three of them, or none at all. He didn't want either of his lovers feeling like they were less valid in the relationship.

Winding through the crowd, nodding at the people who grinned at him, Steve followed Tony over to where Bruce was chatting with Clint and Phil, his tie undone around his neck and the top two buttons of his shirt undone. Releasing Steve's hand, Tony smirked at the blonde, creeping up behind Bruce and sliding hands over his eyes, kissing the back of his neck. "Guess who?" he drawled, and Bruce smiled, bringing up his hands to cover Tony's.

"Why, Bucky, I thought we were gonna wait until after the wedding to tell them," the werewolf replied innocently, and Steve snorted as Tony growled, pulling his hands away and turning Bruce in his arms to kiss him firmly.

"Bucky, my ass," the billionaire muttered. Steve laughed, draping an arm around Bruce's waist, leaning in for a brief kiss.

"Hey, sweetheart." Bruce smiled, leaning into his side, grabbing Tony's hand. His ring glinted in the low sunlight, and it made Steve's smile that little but wider.

"Hey, you. You finished drawing?" Steve grinned abashedly, unsurprised that Bruce had noticed him under the tree. Bruce always noticed.

"Not quite, but Tony persuaded me to come join the party." Bruce went up on his toes to kiss Steve, placing a light hand on his cheek.

"I'm glad. I missed you both."

"My God, it's like we don't even exist," Clint mock-gasped to his husband, breaking the moment. Phil snorted, and Tony rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on, like you weren't exactly the same when you got married," he retorted, earning twin smirks from the pair.

"Yeah, that's why we eloped," Phil pointed out. "No one to complain about it."

"Well, that was the plan, anyway," Clint corrected dryly. "But we all know how that worked out." The pair had tried to elope about two months after Clint's graduation, but Tasha being Tasha had found out their plans and gathered all their friends to show up anyway, as well as Phil's parents, who still hadn't quite forgiven him for being willing to get married without them there. The wedding had been in a tiny little chapel in Aberdeen, and the reception was back at Tony's place after they'd been kicked out of a nearby Wetherspoons for being too rowdy. Despite the lack of planning, it had been a good time for everyone involved, and Tasha had later managed to wrangle a 'thank you' from both men for crashing their plans.

"Which is why we went the more sensible route and actually invited people," Bruce joked, trying to ignore the way Tony was playing with his hair, even though Steve knew it was probably turning him on just as much as it always did. Reaching up behind Bruce's back, he swatted Tony's hand away from the werewolf's curls, giving him a mild scolding look. Tony just winked, taking Steve's hand in his own, admiring the fit of the ring.

Looking back over at the dance floor as Bruce, Clint and Phil resumed whatever conversation they had been having before he and Tony showed up, Steve smiled at the sight of his mother dancing with Bucky, while Bucky's mom let Darcy lead her around in an overdramatic tango, both of them giggling like schoolgirls. Darcy really was part of the family, now; she'd spent last Christmas with the Rogers-Barnes family unit, along with Bruce and Tony, and her and Bucky's mom got on like a house on fire. Steve knew that Mrs Barnes was secretly glad that her son had found someone to love, rather than a constant string of meaningless relationships. And there was no one better than Darcy to keep him in check. She had yet to graduate, but Steve knew that when she did, wedding bells probably wouldn't be too far away.

His mother waved at him over Bucky's shoulder, and he grinned back, lifting one hand in reply. She had been a little apprehensive about him getting married at eighteen, but Steve knew she was happy for the three of them. As he'd pointed out to her when he'd told her about the engagement, he knew he would be with Bruce and Tony for the rest of his life. Now they could legally marry each other, why bother waiting until they were older?

"You wanna dance some more?" Tony asked softly, clearly seeing the direction Steve was looking in. The blonde smiled, shaking his head; he was happy where he was, for now.

"Nah, maybe later," he replied, bringing Tony's hand up to his lips, bringing a soft smile to his husband's face. Like he'd said, the party was going to go on past midnight. They had plenty of time for dancing, later. Hell, they had the rest of their lives for it, now.


	75. Bucky

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 993_

* * *

**2 Years Post-Graduation**

.-.

The clock ticking, and Peggy waiting impatiently in the hallway, Bucky was all too aware that they were going to be late if he didn't hurry up. It was hardly his fault; he'd gotten a crappy shift at work, and the head auror of his unit hated him and wouldn't let him switch. He'd only gotten home fifteen minutes ago, jumping in the shower straight away. Now, dressed in a smart suit, he frantically attempted to fix his hair in front of his mirror, ignoring the way it sighed at him exasperatedly. Stupid mirror was far too critical; he should really get it replaced, or something. Maybe Darcy could pick one out that had fewer personality issues.

Thinking of his spitfire girlfriend arguing with his mirror — a common occurrence whenever she came to stay — he grinned to himself, giving up on his hair. Maybe the drying charm hadn't been the best idea, but there wasn't much he could do about it now. Besides, his hair wasn't that bad.

"Bucky, honestly, hurry up or we'll not get seats!" Peggy called, sticking her head into his room.

"I know, I know, just give me a minute," he replied, hurriedly doing up his tie. Peggy was looking as gorgeous as always, her hair in perfect curls and her dress a flattering blue. She rolled her eyes, a fond smile creeping across her face as she crossed the room, taking the ends of his tie from him and re-doing it far neatly than he had.

"Calm down," she murmured, smoothing out the shoulders of his jacket. "It's her graduation, that's all. You don't have to do anything but turn up on time and sit there."

"I know, I know," he retorted, biting his lip as she released him. Finally, the last two members of their group were leaving Hogwarts, and he knew he and Thor weren't the only ones excited to have Darcy and Loki free. Hogwarts had been fun, but the rest of them were out in the world and moving on with their lives, and they wanted the pair to join them. "Oh, one second." Turning back to his dresser, he pulled open the top drawer and rifled through it, looking for the envelope he knew he'd put in there a month ago, and taken out to stare at almost every day since. Finding it, crumpled and ripped but still holding its prize, he tipped the contents out into his hand, fingers closing around the single key before Peggy can get a good look at it, sliding it safely into the pocket of his jacket. He looked up, opening his mouth to declare himself ready, only to falter at the oddly serious, knowing expression on his friend's face. Obviously he'd not been quick enough.

"Is that for Darcy?" she asked, though she clearly already knew the answer. He ran a hand through his hair out of habit, messing up everything he'd just done to neaten it.

"Uh, yes?" he replied tentatively. "I mean, I haven't asked or anything; hell, I haven't even asked _you_, and if you're not cool with it that's totally fine because you live here too and I don't wanna piss you off, but I really want Darce to move in with me, but I can't afford a place of my own yet, so… yeah. I was gonna ask her at the party," he finished lamely, watching Peggy's smile grow. She slid her arms around his neck, hugging him close, and he automatically wrapped his arms around her in response.

"I expected as much," she informed him. "And I have no problem whatsoever with Darcy moving in with us. Who knows? Maybe having another woman around here might encourage you to tidy up more than once every six months," she added playfully, making him snort.

"I wouldn't count on it," he teased in reply. "Are you really okay with it? Don't say you are if you're not just to make me happy. She's my girlfriend, but you're my best girl, and this is your house as much as it is mine."

"When have I ever done that?" Peggy retorted, eyebrows raised. "James, I love Darcy, she's wonderful, and she'll make an excellent addition to our little household. Though you _are_ allowed to call her your best girl now, I won't be offended," she added wryly. A sheepish smile crossed his lips; no, that title would always be reserved for Peggy. Darcy knew that, and didn't mind one bit. "Now hurry up, or you'll be too late to ask her much of anything." He grinned, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Love you, Pegs," he murmured, making her smile, ushering him from his room.

"I love you, too, you daft sod. Merlin, I bet you never thought you'd be where you are now, did you?" she added, smirking as she checked herself over in the mirror. "In a committed relationship for going on three years, and settling down with her — almost, anyway. Our little Bucky is all grown up." He mock-growled, rolling his eyes.

"You take that back," he challenged, holding an arm out to her for their joint apparition. In the blink of an eye they were in Hogsmeade station, and they quickly joined the crowd of people queueing for carriages up to the school.

"Never," she replied, smiling. "I'm proud of you, James, really." Leaning up, she pecked him on the cheek, then dragged him over to an empty carriage. "Come on, we don't want you late to your girl's graduation!" He grinned, a new spring in his step at Peggy's approval, the key practically burning a hole in his pocket on the ride up to the castle. All he had to do now was sit through the ceremony, and at least try and wait until the party before popping the question, so to speak. And, of course, hope she said yes.


	76. Pepper

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 1612_

* * *

**2 Years, 2 Months Post-Graduation**

.-.

Pepper's lips pursed as she stepped out of the Stark Industries building in Diagon Alley, joining the throng of people going about their day. It was the end of the summer holidays, and the alley was full of students rushing about, Hogwarts letters in hand as they tried to get everything on their lists, parents fussing and fretting in their wake. Some groups, older kids that Pepper recognised from her own time at Hogwarts, had actually been trusted to go without parents, and were using that trust to lurk around Quality Quidditch Supplies and Zonko's, and buy enormous sundaes at Fortescue's. Ah, summer. How Pepper missed when that actually mattered; now it was just another business month. Just another time where Stark Industries had to focus all their energy on marketing to the kids who were home from school, and the parents who were trying to keep them occupied. Summer was exhausting; then again, winter would be worse.

Glancing down at her phone as it flashed with a text from one of the board members' secretaries about needing to reschedule a meeting, she cursed under her breath, texting back a confirmation. Watching the signal bar to check it sent properly, not wanting the secretary to get at her _again_ about proper communications, she let out a cry as she suddenly hit something solid, stumbling backwards as she dropped her handbag. A hand gripped her shoulder, stopping her from falling, and she regained her balance with a shaky breath. "God, I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going, are you okay?" She bent to retrieve her bag, only to be stopped, the man she'd bumped into crouching to get it for her.

"It's fine, Ms Potts. Though I always told Tony those phones are a health hazard." Her eyes widened at the familiar voice, and as the man straightened up she met brown eyes and a teasing grin.

"Professor Hogan," she breathed in surprise, and he chuckled.

"Honestly, Ms Potts, I'm not your professor anymore. Call me Happy," he insisted. Her lips quirked in a brief smile, and she nodded.

"Happy," she agreed. "But only if you call me Pepper. I'm not your student anymore," she pointed out, making him laugh.

"No, you're right, of course." Suddenly, he looked down at his hands, then thrust her bag out to her. "Right, uh, that's yours," he added sheepishly, flushing a little. Feeling her own cheeks go pink, Pepper took the bag, sliding the strap up her shoulder once more.

"Thanks. I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to walk into you like that, I was just texting about a meeting and I only looked down for a second." He waved her off, a smile on his face.

"It's fine, no harm done," he insisted. "You're okay, right? I didn't hurt you when I grabbed you?" She shook her head, her blush increasing.

"No, no, not at all. Thank you; falling in the middle of the alley would have done _wonders_ for my reputation," she remarked sarcastically, and he laughed again.

"And quite the reputation it is, too. You and Tony both seem to be making names for yourselves. No doubt his is down to you and those boys of his keeping him out of trouble. I heard they got married a few months ago? I had an invite, but I was with family in Italy, I couldn't get out of it."

"Yeah, they did," Pepper replied, a grin on her face just at the memory. "It was a really great wedding. But they're _still_ in the honeymoon stages, it's terrible, I can't get Tony to do anything. You'd think after nearly four years together being married wouldn't make much of a difference, but _Merlin_, they're awful." Happy snickered, giving her a grin.

"Yeah, well, I hear that's what marriage does for a person. And let's face it, Tony never needed an excuse to get out of work and hang with his boyfriends. The amount of times he and Bruce skipped class to drag Steve into some passage somewhere…" he trailed off, smirking, and Pepper laughed. Yeah, those were the days. "I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?" he asked suddenly, looking apologetic. "Busy woman like you, I wouldn't want to hold you up."

"Actually, I just got stood up; my business meeting cancelled on me," she explained, holding up her phone. "That's who I was texting. So I'm free as a bird for the next hour. Or, at least, however long it takes for someone to realise I'm free and ask me to fix whatever Tony blew up this morning. Don't ask." Happy grimaced faintly, shaking his head.

"I never do with him. But hey, at least you get out of a meeting." He paused, looking hesitant, then offered her one of those smiles that even now made Pepper's heart flutter just a little bit. Everyone in their school years had that one teacher they had that little bit of a crush on, and for eighty percent of the female Hogwarts population, that teacher was Professor Hogan. Pepper had been no exception. "I, uh, don't suppose you want to get a coffee, or something? To ease the pain of being stood up?" he added jokingly, grinning. Pepper blinked, sure she'd heard wrong. Was Happy Hogan asking her out? Like, on a _date_ out?

"Sure, sounds great," she replied after she got over her shock, not wanting to let the opportunity pass her by. She hadn't let herself consider it when she was in school, not wanting to turn into one of those girls who was embarrassingly in love with a teacher, but now… as he'd pointed out, he wasn't her professor anymore. And he didn't seem to have aged in the two years since she'd graduated; if anything, he was more attractive.

"Really?" he blurted, surprise on his face, clearly having expected her to say no. "Okay. Great. Shall we?" Quickly regaining his charm, he offered his arm to her, grinning roguishly. "You can catch me up on everything you guys have been up to since graduating. I've tried to keep track through the papers and things, and Ms Lewis was always a good source of information, but I don't doubt there's been even more going on that the general public don't know about." Pepper attempted an oblivious, innocent look, but it just made the professor snicker. "Don't try that on me, I know what you're like." He held open the door to the coffee shop for her, making her smile. "I have to admit, it's been quiet without you all around to cause trouble. And now Lewis and Laufeyson are gone, well, I might actually get some peace and quiet."

"I wouldn't count on it," Pepper replied, chuckling. "You've still got Parker, and Allerdyce and his friends." The kids would be in fifth and sixth year respectively, and from what Darcy had said, were causing far more trouble than they ever did. And in Allerdyce's case, definitely the wrong kind of trouble.

"Oh, God, don't remind me," Happy groaned, shaking his head as he and Pepper joined the queue at the counter. "I swear, the only reason Allerdyce hasn't been expelled is because Bobby Drake manages to talk him out of the serious stuff. If they ever get together for real, it might actually be enough to get St John back on track."

"That's _still_ going on?" Pepper asked in shock; the pair had been dancing around each other practically since the day they'd arrived at the school. Happy nodded, the look on his face showing that he couldn't believe it either.

"I know, right? If I weren't a teacher I'd lock them in a closet, or something, just make them get it over with. At least your crowd actually sorted out their relationship drama. All this pining is just _painful_ to watch." Laughing, Pepper shook her head, turning to the barista to order her drink. They chose a table in the corner, away from the rest of the people in the shop, and Happy actually pulled Pepper's chair out for her. Who said chivalry was dead?

"All this complaining, and you haven't thought about taking Tony up on his offer, yet?" Pepper queried, knowing that Tony had an open offer for the man to rejoin their security department whenever he wanted. But Happy shook his head, shrugging off his jacket.

"Nah; as much as I complain, I love teaching. And the kids really aren't that bad. Don't think we'll get another group quite like yours, though; that really was something special to watch." Pepper tried not to think too hard about how the man had been teaching her when she was eleven years old; he'd been in his late twenties then, which would make him about thirty five or so. Fifteen years wasn't too big an age gap, right? Not when some witches and wizards lived to be a hundred and fifty.

Allowing him to turn the conversation to what she'd been doing since graduation, Pepper pulled out all her best flirting techniques, delighting in the way his eyes never left her face while she spoke, his interest visible. Hopefully, that would mean she could get a second date scheduled, or at least a phone number. She just knew she couldn't let Tony find out, not until at least date six or seven; if it even got that far. He had always teased her about her crush in school, threatening to tell Happy, since he was sort-of friends with his ex-bodyguard. He was _never_ going to let her live it down.


	77. Loki

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 1575_

* * *

**2 Years, 6 Months Post-Graduation**

.-.

Scarf wound tight around his neck, pulled right up to cover his chin and cheeks, Loki ducked his head against the cold and wondered why he had thought it would be a good idea to walk home. He hadn't been far; just popping into Diagon Alley to pick up some more potions ingredients, but the weather had turned rapidly while he was out, and now it was raining far more than he could handle without an umbrella. He picked up his pace, determined not to take the easy way out and apparate. Not after the amount of times he teased Thor about apparating home instead of walking ten minutes.

His boots splashing in the puddles on the pavement, he almost missed the faint whimpering sound coming from a nearby alley. Pausing in his tracks, uncaring of the rain, he listened out carefully, hearing more whimpering. "Hello?" he called hesitantly, edging towards the alley. It was dark, but the area was predominantly muggle and he didn't dare bring out his wand to light his way. "Is someone there? Are you well?" The whimpering got louder; loud enough for him to realise it definitely wasn't human. Eyes narrowing as he looked around, his gaze landed on a dark shape curled up behind a dustbin, shivering violently. Edging closer, wary of startling the creature, Loki saw that the creature was a dog. A mutt, by the looks of things, looking a little like a cross between a wolfhound and an alsatian. Its fur was soaked and matted, and fearful brown eyes gazed up at him from an emaciated head.

Looking closer, Loki winced as he made out the ridges of the dog's spine and the protrusion of its ribs; by the looks of things, it had been running stray for a while. Its back left leg was stuck out at an awkward angle, and on further inspection the Slytherin noticed dark red blood weeping from its paw at a steady rate. "Oh, Thor's going to murder me," he murmured to himself, slowly shrugging his coat off his shoulders, ignoring the cold biting through his jumper. There was no way he could possibly leave the dog where it was; even before the injured paw, his mind had been made up as soon as he'd seen the animal. It would be cruel of him to leave it, and, well… he had been talking to his lover about the possibility of getting a pet. This was just a little sooner than expected.

Inching forward, he steadily extended a hand, not flinching when the dog growled feebly. "Easy, there," he breathed, crouching so as to look less of a threat. "I'm not going to hurt you, little one. Gently does it, now, come on." The dog continued to growl, but was clearly too exhausted to struggle as Loki bundled his coat around the sodden creature, lifting it into his arms. It was unnervingly light for a dog of its size, and it made Loki nervous. Ignoring the dog's whimpers and yips of pain, he set off out of the alley at a quick jog, trying not to jostle his burden too much. He was just glad he wasn't too far from home; he didn't dare apparate with an animal, but he needed to get it inside fast.

Unlocking the door with a rap of his hand on the knocker, he hurried inside, sighing in relief at the warmth of the hallway. "Easy," he murmured to the dog, feeling it begin to struggle in his arms. Carrying it through to the kitchen, where they had tiled floors and he could shut them inside, he pulled the door shut behind himself and knelt down, depositing the dog on the floor. As soon as it was free of his arms it bolted, limping on three legs into the corner of the room. Loki ignored his now-ruined coat, holding up his hands placatingly, staying on his knees. "Shh, easy now. You're safe, and warm, and I just want to clean you up," he said slowly, keeping his voice calm and even. The dog stared back at him distrustingly, dripping muddy brown water onto the grey tiles, its bleeding paw tucked underneath its body. It was a boy, Loki noted, frowning as he took in the sight of the animal in the light. He looked like a drowned rat, the poor thing.

Getting to his feet with aching slowness, Loki edged over to the linen cupboard opposite the washing machine, digging through for some of the ratty old towels they kept lying about. He had never been more glad of their mother teaching them of the importance of keeping a well-stocked linen cupboard for any emergency.

Filling a plastic bowl with warm water from the sink, Loki raided the fridge for some chicken leftover from the weekend, smiling to himself when the dog's ears perked up at the sight of it. "I bet you're hungry, hmm?" he mused, laying out a towel and setting the chicken down in one corner. The dog inched forward, tail between his legs and eyes fixed warily on Loki, who made sure not to move.

It took about fifteen minutes of careful coaxing and bribery through food, but eventually Loki managed to calm the dog enough to get close and actually touch him, allowing him to start cleaning out his injured paw. Luckily, the cut wasn't fairly deep; it looked like the poor creature had stepped on broken glass while roaming the streets. Hopefully all Loki would have to do would be to clean it out and maybe bandage it up; it didn't seem like it would need stitches. Then again, he was hardly a medical professional, animal or otherwise.

"I suppose you need a name, don't you?" he thought aloud, looking the dog over. He didn't have a collar, ruling out finding any potential owner easily. His dark grey fur was brown in places with mud, and he would need a good bath before Loki could truly see how malnourished he was. That could wait, however, until Thor was home to help him. He rather thought that bathing a skittish dog of his size was a two-person job. "How about… Fenrir?" He'd been thinking over names for their potential dog for longer than he would care to admit, and Fenrir had stuck in his mind for a while. The dog blinked at him, pink tongue peeking out to clean the last traces of chicken from his muzzle. Loki chuckled, running a gentle hand over the dog's head. "Yes, I think Fenrir suits rather well, don't you agree?"

Fenrir bolted back to the corner of the kitchen as there was a loud crack in the hallway, and Loki swore under his breath; Thor was home. "Loki?" the blonde called, voice booming. Loki tried not to be too irritated — it was hardly his fault — and held out some more chicken, trying to urge Fenrir back to the towel.

"In the kitchen," Loki replied, voice just loud enough for Thor to hear him. "But be careful, and shut the door quickly behind you when you enter!" Thankfully, Thor knew better than to question him for things like this, bless his heart. He edged into the kitchen, shutting the door as soon as he was in, and turned to Loki, only for his eyes to widen as he spotted Fenrir, a concerned frown coming to his lips.

"I did not know we had a guest," he said, his voice as quiet as he could ever be, which was to say, not very quiet at all. Loki smiled, still coaxing Fenrir forward.

"I found him on my way home," he explained. "The poor thing was in a terrible state, I couldn't leave him there." He turned an imploring look on his lover, who smiled fondly, tiptoeing closer to sink to the floor beside Loki, trying not to look too intimidating to the terrified dog.

"A fine creature, if in need of some food and love," he declared, before turning to his dark-haired partner with knowing eyes. "And what have you named him?"

"Fenrir," Loki replied, unashamed. Thor no doubt gathered his intentions the moment he'd spotted the dog; he wasn't stupid, and he knew Loki better than anyone. "Please, Thor. He has no one but us," the younger man urged, eyes round as he pleaded with his lover. Thor chuckled softly, leaning in to wrap an arm around Loki's shoulders and press a kiss to his temple.

"We shall have to take him to the vet, in the morning," he said by way of answer. "And at least make an attempt to find an owner before deciding he stays with us." Loki smiled widely, tugging Thor in by his scarf for a firm kiss.

"I love you," he murmured against the blonde's lips, feeling Thor grin and pull him closer.

"He shall be a wonderful addition to our family," Thor replied, one hand burying in Loki's hair. Loki happily tucked himself against Thor's broad chest, Fenrir eyeing them both like he didn't know what to make of them. The Slytherin liked the sound of Thor's words; they were a _family_. Him and Thor together, with the possibility of additions in the future. All Loki could hope now was that no one claimed Fenrir when they asked around; it would be incredibly difficult to let him go.


	78. Volstagg

_**Chapter Wordcount: **__1489_

* * *

**2 Years, 9 Months Post-Graduation**

.-.

Volstagg couldn't help but beam, surrounded by friends on both sides, a pint of ale in his hand and a cheerful air in the room. They were out on a boys' night — himself, Hogun, Fandral and Thor — at the pub near Thor and Loki's house, and both conversation and alcohol flowing freely. The pub by their own house was pretty terrible, frequented by old muggle men wanting to do nothing but watch football and complain about football. Thor's pub was far more friendly, with smiling staff and comfortable seating and not a television in sight to distract the patrons.

"Fenrir has learned to fetch on command!" Thor told them, a look of immense pride on his face. "And Loki has taught him to roll over, it is most entertaining!" He grinned, drinking heartily from his pint glass. "He has been so much happier since Fenrir came into our lives; it fills my heart with joy to see him smiling so much. We are building a family within the much larger family of our friendship, and I should hope more of you will do the same!"

"Thor?" Volstagg interrupted, a pleasant smile on his face. The blonde turned to look at him inquiringly, and the bearded man smirked. "Do shut up, dear friend. We are so very glad that you're happy, and you know we all adore Loki, but we have heard it all before. Several times. We get the idea." Fandral toasted to his words, and Hogun snorted into his glass. Thor looked sheepish, though mostly unrepentant, his grin still wide across his face. The lovesick fool had sported the same expression pretty much since the day Loki had graduated and moved in with him for good; the addition of the dog just increasing that. Volstagg had to admit, it was a brilliant dog, now that Loki had fattened it up some. And for a stray, it was surprisingly well-behaved.

"My apologies, friends," Thor said with a shrug. "I did not mean to go on so. Tell me what has been happening with your love-lives!" he urged, beaming once more. "I spend so much time talking and thinking of my own, I neglect to ask about what you three have been up to." Volstagg felt his cheeks redden, sharing a glance with Hogun, who looked equally uncomfortable with the conversation topic.

"Oh, you know how it is," the redhead told his friend, despite the fact that Thor clearly _didn't_. His only two relationships had been serious and long-lasting, and he'd never really done the whole 'dating' thing. "A few ladies here and there, nights out every now and then. Nothing interesting." Which was all a complete lie, of course. The last date he'd been on had been over six months ago, and had been an absolute disaster. Volstagg was taking a break from the dating scene for a while, or so he had told Hogun when his friend had asked. From what he knew, his dark-haired friend was having just as little luck with the ladies. Clearly it was just not their time yet.

"Come now, there must be someone in your life!" Thor urged with a wink, but Volstagg shook his head, chuckling.

"I'm afraid not, my friend. Besides, I'm far too busy with work to even consider getting out and dating." That was actually mostly true; since joining the ranks of certified auror, no longer in training or on rookie probation, his free time had about halved.

"What about you, Fandral?" Hogun piped up, a smile on his face as he eyed the suspiciously silent blonde. "You're awfully quiet, there. Some secret romance you're trying to keep from us?" Expecting Fandral to laugh it off and regale them with the tale of his most recent conquest, Volstagg was surprise when the lithe man merely bit his lip, his cheeks slowly reddening.

"No, there's nothing," he insisted, though it was a weak lie at best. Thor laughed loudly, pointing a finger at his friend.

"There is!" he crowed in triumph, smirking. "Tell us, Fandral! Who is she? Or he? Where did you meet?"

"There's no one," Fandral repeated, still not sounding convincing. Volstagg snickered, grinning at his friends.

"Sounds like he's got a serious one, this time, lads," he mused teasingly, knowing that Fandral only went quiet when he actually thought a relationship might go somewhere.

"Ooh, this is a special occasion, then," Hogun drawled, getting in on the teasing. Continuing to rib the blonde about his liaisons as Thor ordered them another round of drinks, Volstagg was stunned when Fandral's fist suddenly clenched, and he opened his mouth to speak.

"I slept with Sif," he blurted, stunning them all into silence. The redhead went wide-eyed, jaw dropping. Sif? Their Sif? Fandral had _dared_ lay with her?

"When?" he asked, voice quiet and blank, and Fandral winced.

"Two weeks ago, when the two of you were on that training camp in Wales." Volstagg's eyes widened further; how had they both kept it secret for two weeks?

"Is it serious?" Hogun asked tentatively, looking very much like he'd swallowed a lemon. "Or an event that shall not be repeated?" Volstagg tried not to envision it in his mind; Fandral and Sif were like his brother and sister, and he did not need the mental image of them having relations.

"I… I think it's serious," Fandral admitted, a tentatively hopeful expression on his face that surprised all three of them. "I mean, we have yet to talk about what it could mean, but… I would very much like for it to be."

"We did not know you felt that way about her," Volstagg said after a prolonged silence, stunned. Fandral flushed, ducking his head.

"Neither did I, to be honest. The feelings crept up on me, and it was only when we were… _together_ that I truly realised the extent of them. We have been together a few times since, but I do not know what this means to her. I do not dare ask if it means as much as it does to me." Swallowing thickly at the prospect of his little Sif having an intimate relationship, with _Fandral_ nonetheless, Volstagg tried to push that aside and be as helpful as he would be were it a random person Fandral had fallen for.

"Ask her, and she shall tell you honestly. But I do not believe Sif would enter into this if she did not share your feelings. She is aware that a soured relationship between the pair of you could cause problems elsewhere. She would not be with you in that way if she were not certain it could become permanent." He reached over to clap Fandral on the shoulder, and the blonde brightened a little, looking hopeful.

"You believe so?" he asked, making Volstagg grin, rolling his eyes.

"You should know that already, you moron; you know Sif just as well as I do." Fandral shrugged abashedly, biting his lip once more.

"I did not want to assume," he muttered, and Thor chuckled.

"Trust your heart in this, my friend. You know Sif well enough to tell if it will lead you astray," he encouraged. Fandral sighed, sipping at his ale.

"Does this mean you do not mind?" he asked the group at large, trepidation in his tone. "Were Sif and I to… form a relationship?"

"You are both our friends, and we love you; how could we protest, if it makes you happy?" Volstagg retorted, not voicing how unnerved he was by the situation. It was a shock, of course, but Sif was old enough to know what she wanted in life. And, well, if that was Fandral, he would not argue.

"I agree," Hogun added. "But you should be aware that, our brother in arms or not, we will hex you into tiny little pieces should you ever hurt her." Fandral laughed, running a hand through his hair.

"I did not expect any less," he agreed wryly. "And should I hurt her, I myself will be first in line to hex me. But I promise you, I am serious about her. I would not risk this if I wasn't."

"Then I believe we have cause enough to celebrate!" Volstagg declared, raising a hand to flag the barmaid down for more drinks before anyone could protest. Alcohol was the easiest way for them to get over the shock; the last thing Fandral needed was one of them dwelling on the matter too long and making a thoughtless comment about how Sif had always been a sister to Fandral growing up. As they had clearly seen with Thor and Loki, childhood bonds hardly mattered. He just hoped it didn't blow up in their faces; he rather thought Sif and Fandral could be happy together, given the chance. She would certainly keep Fandral's enormous ego in check.


	79. Thor

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 1058_

* * *

**3 Years Post-Graduation**

.-.

Thor kept his head high and his back straight as he walked through the Ministry corridors, his destination clear in his mind. His heart was pounding, but he didn't show it, well versed in a poker face by now. People who didn't know him well thought him expressive and over-emotional; that assumption was usually their downfall without them even realising.

With a nod to the secretary at the desk by the door, he strode straight up to it and knocked, not waiting for an answer before pushing it open. It was incredibly rude, and he would no doubt be scolded for it, but he knew should he announce himself he would not get an audience. Odin's eyes narrowed as he spotted his son stood in front of him, setting his quill down mid-sentence. "Thor," he greeted neutrally, leaning back in his chair. "I was not expecting you."

"I did not come for idle conversation," the blonde replied simply, staying stood behind the chair opposite his father's desk. "But to ask you a question."

"This question could not have been asked through letter?" Odin asked wryly. That was how the father and son usually communicated, now. They only met in person at obligatory business and social events, and even then conversation was stiff. Everyone in the wizarding world was aware of the falling out between the two that had occurred on the day of Thor's graduation.

"I… do not believe so," Thor admitted, finding it difficult to gather his nerve and get the words out now he was actually in front of his father. He knew it would not be a well-received question, but he _needed_ to at least try.

"Well, out with it then, boy," Odin demanded, making Thor's lip curl with disdain at the term. He was twenty-one years of age; he had not been a boy in years.

"I wish to ask permission to retrieve the family rings from the vault," he announced, trying not to hold his breath too obviously as he waited for the man's reaction. Odin's expression became one of distaste, and he scowled at his heir.

"You are of age. You are perfectly capable of withdrawing anything you might wish from the family vault without my permission," he remarked evenly. Thor didn't falter, nodding shortly.

"But I would still like permission just the same. It is tradition." Odin snorted, eyeing him incredulously.

"You dare comment on _tradition_ when you intend to propose to that _boy_?" he spat, and Thor bristled.

"Yes, I dare," he replied, not letting his father's ire scare him. He was long past the age of being affected by Odin's spite. "I even dare to extend an invitation towards you, should he accept. I cannot help but wonder why you even adopted him when you clearly find his blood status so offensive."

"He was practically thrust into my arms, I would have looked a barbarian had I refused," Odin dismissed easily.

"So you thought that raising him to constantly feel unworthy of everything he ever loved was the better option?" Thor exclaimed, anger colouring his tone. "It has taken me years, with the help of my friends, to convince Loki that he is _worth_ something, that he _deserves_ the affection we all hold for him. Because of you, we have been involved for over four years and he still believes I may declare him unworthy of my time and leave him." He tried to restrain his ire, not wanting to seem impulsive and childish. He wouldn't stoop to Odin's level. "I still do not understand how you could take two boys and claim them both as sons, yet treat them in two vastly different ways."

"If I had truly claimed you both as sons, you would not have formed this farce of a relationship," Odin sniped.

"You could not say that for sure," Thor returned evenly. "Mother always treated us the same, treated us as sons of her blood and told us to consider each other kin, and yet we still fell in love. I do not want your opinion on my relationship, nor do I want your opinion of Loki." He'd heard enough of it over the years, and he didn't want to end the visit by punching his father in the face. "But I love him with every corner of my soul, and I would trade every possession I own to spend the rest of my life by his side. All I ask is for you to grant me permission to propose to the man I have already given my heart to, and that you might consent to observing the union."

Odin was silent for several long moments, and it took all of Thor's nerve to stop himself squirming under the man's intense gaze. "I shall grant that permission, only because I know that even should I refuse, you would do so anyway." Thor stifled a sigh of relief; that was the hard part over with. "But do not expect me to attend; I do not approve of this union, I do not like your chosen spouse, and I will not bless any family you might make with him. You are my legal heir, and nothing more; I would have struck you from the family tree years ago would it not leave me with no one to continue this family's great legacy." It was nothing Thor didn't know already, but the words still hurt, and he hated himself for visibly flinching.

"Of course. Thank you for the permission." Nodding sharply to the older man, Thor didn't push the matter of attendance; he had already overstepped his bounds, and truthfully he didn't really want Odin there anyway. He didn't want anything to spoil what could only be the happiest day of his life.

Not wanting to suffer through the awkwardness of trying to say polite goodbyes, Thor turned on his heel and left the office, waiting until he was in the lift before letting out a long breath and relaxing, a slow grin tugging at his lips. He had his father's — admittedly reluctant — permission to propose to Loki with the family rings. He just had to make a quick stop at Gringotts to pick them up, and then start planning his proposal. It had to be absolutely _perfect_, for Loki.


	80. Rhodey

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 1120_

* * *

**3 Years, 6 Months Post-Graduation**

.-.

Trying to ignore the man-child on his bed, Rhodey rolled his eyes and shoved the final stack of books into a cardboard box. Just about everything was packed already, but Tony had insisted on being around for the last day to 'help'. So far, Rhodey had yet to see any evidence of helping; all his best friend had done was sit on the bed and comment on his taste in reading material.

"Are you really sure you want to do this?" the genius asked suddenly, drawing the younger man's attention as he double checked his dresser for any lost socks. He wasn't taking much with him, but he was renting out his apartment so everything he owned had to go into storage.

"Yes, Tony, for the hundredth time," he replied, rolling his eyes. Tony had tried to talk him out of things for months, since he'd first heard about the decision. It wasn't that he thought it was a bad one, and Rhodey knew he was proud deep down, but… Tony liked having all his friends in one place. Hell, when Peggy had spent six months in England with family, he had gone ape shit about calling her every single day. Rhodey was kind of glad he'd have scheduled phone and internet hours that he wouldn't be able to get around. "This is something I need to do," he added, a determined expression on his face as he turned to the man who had been with him since they were barely old enough to walk. "You know it's not a last-minute thing for me, Tone. I've been thinking about this since I graduated. But… now feels like a good time."

He sat down on the edge of the bed, beside his friend, knocking their shoulders together. "I've always wanted to help people," he mused, leaning into Tony's side. "To make a difference. This is how I can do that. I know it's not ideal, and it's not what anyone really expected, but… it's what I want to do."

"I know, honeybear," Tony replied with a sigh, head falling to Rhodey's shoulder. "And I'm supportive, and super proud, like, you have no idea how proud I am of how badass you're gonna be. Ask Bruce and Steve, they know." Rhodey snorted, ruffling Tony's hair playfully.

"I know, you moron; you don't shut up about it when you're drunk," he teased, a smile on his face. He looked around his bare bedroom, remembering how it had looked just after he'd moved in. They'd had a party to help him get all his crap unpacked, and ended up staying up until 5am playing video games and eating pizza, until finally Clint and Phil had been drunk enough to start dry-humping on the couch and he'd thrown everyone out. No way in hell his friends were gonna have sex in his apartment before he did. "I'm gonna miss you too, y'know that, right?"

"I assumed as much. I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Tony informed him simply, making him snicker. "So you'd better call and email regularly. Like, once a week at the very _least_."

"I will, I promise," Rhodey replied, slinging an arm around him and kissing the top of his head. Tony wriggled in his grasp, turning to look him in the eyes.

"If you die, I'll kill you," he declared. Rhodey didn't let his grin falter, pulling him into a tighter hug.

"I will do my very, very best not to die, and that's a promise," he swore. Pulling back, he glanced at the clock on the bedside table, which he was leaving for whoever ended up renting his place. He had to leave in twenty minutes. They'd already had his going-away party, and he'd said his goodbyes to the rest of the crew, but Tony… Tony was different. Tony was always different. "I have to get going, Tone. Don't wanna be late on my first official day." He'd done some minor training days, but they seemed to take his basic auror training as enough, to begin with. He had no doubt he'd be put through his paces when he got there, but he was prepared for that; looking forward to it, even.

"Yeah, wouldn't want them to realise what a miscreant you are before you even start," Tony teased, smirking. Rhodey laughed, rolling his eyes.

"Like my Hogwarts record hasn't informed them of that already," he retorted lightly. "All the trouble you and Clint got me in." Tony reeled back with a mock-hurt expression on his face, eyes theatrically wide.

"Me? Trouble? You wound me with your cruel, cruel lies, sugarbuns." He couldn't hold the expression for long, letting a soft smile creep across his features, and he placed both hands on Rhodey's shoulders, looking oddly serious. "I know you're all grown up and wearing your big boy pants, but if you need anything, absolutely anything, just drop me a line, okay? You're my brother from another mother, and I love you. And," he paused to grin, winking. "I'm gonna say this just one more time because I know you're getting sick of it, but I'm crazy proud of you. You're going to be _awesome_." Laughing, Rhodey smiled as Tony pressed a kiss to his forehead, bringing him into a hug.

"I love you too, Tony. Thanks for coming over today." As much as he'd complained about it, he was glad Tony was there. He hadn't wanted to face things alone.

Reluctantly getting to his feet, he reached out beside his duffle for his shirt, shrugging it on over his t-shirt and carefully doing it up. Unable to help himself, he glanced in the mirror on the wall, smiling at the carefully embroidered 'Rhodes' across his chest, standing out against the beiges. Tony stood behind him, clapping him on the shoulder and beaming with pride. "Good luck, Rhodey," he murmured, lifting the man's duffle for him to shoulder it. "I'll sort out all your stuff, and send me an email when you get settled, let me know if there's anyone fun in with you." Grinning, Tony kissed his cheek, dusting off his shoulders and stepping back. "Go get 'em, tiger." Rhodey grinned back, falling into a sharp salute; something he'd be doing plenty of times in the future.

"Sir, yes, sir!" he barked out, relaxing just a fraction as Tony began to laugh, and winking at his best friend, before apparating away.

He arrived just outside the headquarters of the Magical Devision of the United States Military, and took a deep breath before reaching for the door handle. He'd gotten this far; he couldn't wait for the rest.


	81. Darcy

_**Chapter Wordcount: **__1913_

___This series has now been podficced by Ali Camille, and the link is on my profile because ffnet is weird about putting links in chapters :/_

* * *

**4 Years Post-Graduation**

.-.

Small plastic bag stuffed between her tablet and a magazine in her handbag, Darcy wandered through the doors of Stark Industries, trying not to look suspicious. There was no reason for her to look suspicious; she worked there, she had every right to pop out for ten minutes and then come back. Still feeling irrationally like everyone was staring at her, Darcy made a beeline for the elevator, punching the button for her floor. Tony and Pepper were both at meetings so she was holding down the fort. Hopefully nothing too groundbreaking had happened while she was out. JARVIS totally had it covered.

Slipping into her chair behind her desk, the nineteen year-old attempted to play it cool, to try and look like she'd just gone for coffee or something. She didn't manage it long, and it was barely three minutes before she was jumping out of her seat. "Bathroom," she declared, despite being the only person in the room. Taking her handbag with her, she walked quickly, ducking through doors and offering too-wide smiles to the people she passed. God, she was terrible at being sneaky when she was nervous. At least she already had a reputation for being weird; people tended to just shake their heads in exasperation and not ask any further when a situation involved one of Tony's school friends.

She breathed a sigh of relief when the ladies' bathroom was empty when she entered it, and ducked into the nearest stall, perching on the closed toilet. Handbag on her lap, she dug through it, pulling out the little plastic shopping bag and emptying it into her hand. It only contained one box, long and narrow, and she swallowed thickly as she opened it. The instructions were half a mile long, but the important bit was at the top. Besides; Darcy, like every girl, knew what to do. Just pee on the stick, and wait.

Manoeuvring around in the tiny cubicle, she managed to pee on the little tab of the stick without too much difficulty. There were potions, but she preferred the look of the muggle ones; and they were easier to buy without suspicion. Lifting it up, she set it on top of the toilet roll holder, performing a quick cleaning charm on her hands and flushing the toilet, putting the lid down so she could sit on it more comfortably. "Okay, two minutes," she murmured, setting up a floating timer in front of her. She tried not to panic while she waited, but it was an impossible task; all her brain could comprehend was that in a minute and a half, something on that little stick was either going to give her a plus sign or a minus sign. She didn't know which answer she wanted; sure, she loved kids, and she wanted them, but… she was nineteen. She'd only been out of Hogwarts for two years, and she was the youngest of the group. Bucky was only twenty-one, still getting established in the Auror Department. They hadn't really talked about starting a family yet. But really, this was so typical; other than Pepper and Happy, and Sif and Fandral, who were both too organised to have an 'accident' like this, her and Bucky were the only ones in the group who didn't have to go through a stringent, well thought-out adoption or surrogacy process to get kids. Just insert tab A into slot B and… bam.

But she might not even be pregnant. Darcy knew that logically, that was probably the better option — they weren't ready to have kids, at _all_ — but… she'd been worrying over the question for a week, as she got nauseous for no reason and was far later than usual on her period. And in all that time, she'd just been assuming the test would be positive. She couldn't help but start imagining what a baby of her and Bucky would look like; adorable, no doubt. Would it be a boy or a girl? How ridiculously spoiled would it be with Tony Stark as its uncle? As she thought about the possibilities, she got more and more used to the idea, and she knew that deep down, she'd be disappointed if the test was negative.

Her timer bleeped, and she about had a heart attack, looking over at the stick still on the toilet roll holder. She couldn't see what it said from where she was sat. With shaking fingers she reached out, grasping the piece of plastic and holding it up to her face. Her breath left her lungs, and her heart beat so fast she thought it might break out of her chest. There it was; a tiny blue positive sign on the white background. She was pregnant.

She choked out a laugh, the stick falling into her lap as her grip went slack. "Oh my God," she murmured, eyes wide and breath coming fast. Was she hyperventilating? She thought she might be. "Oh my _God_." How was she going to tell Bucky? How was she going to tell her _parents_?

Still, she could see it now; a tiny little red-faced baby with a tuft of dark brown hair, and equally brown eyes. Getting up at 3am to feed it, and having to make sure someone was there to watch it _all_ the time, and oh, Merlin, she had to _give birth_. "Oh God," she wailed under her breath, getting a little light-headed. How the hell was she supposed to look after a baby? She barely remembered to feed _herself_ most days. And Bucky… he was going to be so mad, they hadn't ever talked about the possibility of kids. Sure, it was kind-of his fault too, it took two to tango and all that, but still.

"Darcy?" She jumped at the voice, eyes going wide in alarm. What was Steve doing in the ladies' room? "Darcy, where are you? JARVIS called me and said you were having a panic attack, I came right down." She let out a snort; good old JARVIS.

"Hang on," she called shakily, reaching forward to fumble with the lock on the door, letting it swing open. Steve's footsteps on the tiles were loud as he drew closer, and his face was the picture of concern as he stopped in front of her. He opened his mouth to speak, but then his eyes landed on the white stick in her lap, and he froze.

"Is that…" he trailed off, and she nodded. "And is it…?" He didn't seem to be able to finish a sentence, and it made her laugh faintly, nodding again.

"Yeah. Yeah, it is." She held it up, displaying the plus sign so he could see, and he let out a long breath.

"Damn. Wow, Darce. I— come here, sweetheart, before you pass out." Inching his enormous frame into the tiny cubicle, he easily shifted them around until he was the one sat on the toilet seat, Darcy in his lap. He hugged her close, kissing her forehead. "Congratulations," he murmured, a grin crossing his lips. "I take it this wasn't planned?" His fingers carding through her hair were soothing, and she concentrated on his breathing as she tried to calm her own.

"You think?" she retorted wryly, the sarcasm halfhearted. "God, Steve, what the hell am I gonna do? I'm not ready for this!" He wrapped his arm tighter around her, chin propped on the top of her head, and she happily snuggled into his chest, his heartbeat steady in her ear.

"I don't think anyone's ever ready to be a parent," he pointed out. Darcy choked at his words; she was going to be a _parent_. "But for the record, I think you'll be great at it. Come on, how about I take you upstairs, make you some tea, we can call Bucky over and tell him the good news."

"Oh my God," she breathed at the prospect of telling Bucky, making Steve chuckle.

"He'll be so happy," he promised. "He loves kids, he's wanted them ever since we were kids ourselves."

"But I'm nineteen," she argued, voice quiet.

"Yeah, and you'll be twenty next month," Steve reminded. "Look, Darce; no one's going to force you to keep it, if you don't want to. Buck will understand." Even the thought of abortion, of getting rid of a baby that was her and Bucky together, made Darcy want to vomit.

"No, no, I'm keeping it," she assured quickly. "I'm just shitting myself about it." Steve smiled, kissing her hair.

"Well you'll have all of us by your side the whole way, okay?" He got to his feet with her still in his arms, picking up her handbag and the positive test on the way. With a soft pop, they were in his living room, and Darcy practically fell onto the couch, pulling the blanket up to her neck. Steve ran a hand over her hair, smiling. "I'll call Buck and put the kettle on. Unless you need a few more minutes?" Darcy shook her head, letting out a sigh.

"No, no, he can come over. If I leave it, I'll start freaking out again," she admitted ruefully. He nodded, disappearing, and it seemed like barely seconds later when the fire was flaring green, and her boyfriend stepped out, still in uniform.

"Darcy," he gasped, rushing to her side. "Steve said it was urgent, are you okay? Is something wrong?" Darcy smiled as he sat with her, and pulled him into a soft kiss.

"Nothing's wrong," she promised. "Just… I need to tell you something, and you have to promise not to freak out, okay?" Steve edged into the room with a tray full of mugs in his hands, and Darcy smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Steve."

"No problem. I'll, uh, leave you to it. Unless you want me to stay?" he asked in concern.

"No, it's fine. I've got this." Steve grinned at her, picking up his mug and taking it back to the kitchen, and Darcy reached for her tea.

"I promise I won't freak out," Bucky said obediently. "But you're worrying me, babe. What's the matter?" Bending to slide a hand into her handbag, Darcy let her fingers close around the white plastic stick.

"Uh, well… how do you feel about kids? Like, a baby?" As his eyes went wide, she pulled out the pregnancy test and showed it to him, nerves squirming in her gut.

"You're pregnant?" he breathed, awed. Darcy nodded, biting her lip anxiously. "Oh my God, Darce, that's… that's amazing!" A wide grin spread slowly across his face, and he bundled her in a hug, kissing her firmly. "I'm gonna be a daddy?"

"Yeah, Buckeroo," she whispered in reply, tears starting to leak from her eyes even as she beamed at him. "And I'm gonna be a mommy."

"You'll be the best mom, Darcy," he declared confidently. "Oh Merlin, I have to call Peggy and tell her the news! And everyone else!" He continued dotting kisses all over her face, gushing about how they'd have to tell his mom and Steve's mom and her parents and all their friends and they'd need to turn the spare room into a nursery and _oh God they'd have to get her a healer_. Darcy just let him babble, the excitement beginning to mingle with the shock. Bucky was happy; they could do this. They would be _awesome_ parents.


	82. Tony

_**Chapter Wordcount: **__1117_

* * *

**4 Years, 7 Months Post-Graduation**

.-.

The entire group was gathered in the living room at the Stark-Banner-Rogers household, as it was the biggest of any of the places they owned. However, those three weren't the centre of attention; instead the trio on the couch were being surrounded, everyone wanting to get a good look. Ashleigh Nicole Barnes, born January 2nd at ten past three in the morning, was barely a day old and already the most adorable thing Tony had ever seen. She was still sort of red and scrunchy, but Bruce had assured him that would change, and Tony found it cute anyways. So did everyone else, if the gushing and cooing was anything to go by. The birth had gone through with no complications whatsoever; textbook, according to the midwife and the healer. Luckily it had meant that Darcy could come home quickly, though her, Bucky and Ashleigh would be staying with Tony and the guys for a little while, to let Darcy get some sleep and recover.

He could barely see the baby girl through all the people crowded around her as she slept peacefully in her mother's arms, but he probably could have seen the proud smile on Bucky's face from Australia. The man hadn't stopped gushing about how amazing his kid and girlfriend were; he had every right to, though. They made pretty gorgeous kids. He'd been at the hospital when Ashleigh had been born, so he'd already had the chance to fuss over her, and was staying back now to give everyone else a chance. That didn't seem to stop Steve, however; he hadn't stopped grinning like a fool since Bucky had asked him to be godfather, two weeks before Ashleigh had been born. With Jane as a godmother, Tony was under the impression that the kid couldn't possibly get a better start in life. And she would have far more aunts and uncles than she knew what to do with; Tony was especially looking forward to that part.

A grin flickered at his lips as he watched his blonde husband gently ease the blanket-wrapped baby from Darcy's lap, cradling her tiny form in just one of his massive arms. Despite his size, and his worries of dropping her or holding her too tight — worries he'd confided in Tony and Bruce, who had told him he was being ridiculous — his grip on the girl was exceedingly gentle, and the look of awe on Steve's face as he rocked Ashleigh made Tony's chest tighten in a warm sort of way. Steve would be an amazing father.

An arm slid around his waist, and Tony didn't need to look to know it was Bruce, leaning into the werewolf's side and smiling as a kiss was placed on his cheek. "He looks great with a kid in his arms, doesn't he?" Bruce mused softly. Tony smiled; of course his husband was on the same wavelength as him. They always were.

"He'd look even better with one of his own," he replied impulsively. Bruce's eyebrows rose, and he turned Tony's face to meet his gaze.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Tony nodded, tilting his chin for a kiss.

"I've been thinking about it, with Buck and Darce going through everything. I think between the three of us we'd manage to raise a pretty awesome kid, don't you? And Ash will need a cousin to play with and stuff. We're all at good places in our jobs, Stark Industries is doing great… maybe we could look into adopting?" His words were quiet and tentative, almost drowned out by the bustle going on further in the room, but Bruce heard every single one. Tony could tell by the way his eyes lit up a little that he liked the idea; Bruce's wolf wanted pack, wanted cubs. They were old enough to start settling down now, and he knew they wouldn't be the only ones thinking about it now Darcy had given birth. Hell, he could count the broody expressions in the room on both hands, and probably need to use a few of Bruce's fingers too.

"That would be amazing," Bruce agreed, arm tightening briefly around Tony. "We should talk it over with Steve, maybe tonight after everyone's gone home."

"Yeah, of course," Tony confirmed easily. He wouldn't even dream of making the decision without discussing it with Steve first. He looked back over at the group, where Steve had passed Ashleigh off to a nervous-looking Loki sat beside Darcy, and was watching the baby with love in his eyes. "But just look at him," he murmured, smiling when Steve glanced up to seek them out, his smile widening as he backed out of the group and began walking towards him. "Can you really see him saying no?"

Steve approached with a fond expression, sliding into the embrace with ease and dropping brief kisses on their lips. "What are you two whispering about, hmm?" he asked teasingly. "You should come see the baby."

"She'll be living here for the next two weeks, honeybuns; we'll get to see her all the time," Tony pointed out with a smile. "The others should get a chance to look." He leaned up to kiss him again, biting his lower lip playfully. "And as for our whispering, we'll tell you later. But you'll like it, I promise." Steve wiggled his eyebrows, and Tony could tell he was exuding arousal by the way Bruce's nostrils flared and his eyes darkened just for a moment. Smirking mischievously, he slipped away from his lovers to go check on the food in the oven, suddenly feeling incredibly buzzed for the conversation he and his husbands would hopefully be having that night.

He'd always thought he would be a terrible, terrible father; he'd hardly had the best role model. But with all his friends to help him out, and Bruce's mom and Steve's mom and Bucky's mom — because she was basically Steve's second mother and would definitely count any of his offspring as her grandchildren — and with Bruce and Steve by his side… he wanted to be a parent. He wanted his partners to get the chance to be parents. Steve was practically born to be a father, and while Bruce had as many doubts as Tony himself did, Tony knew he'd be amazing at it. Besides, raising a kid sounded like fun. He snickered quietly as he imagined the look on Headmaster Fury's face if Happy went back and told him that Tony Stark was having a kid. He'd probably retire right there on the spot. Surely that in itself was reason enough to go through with it.


	83. Jane

_**Chapter Wordcount:**__ 1233_

* * *

**5 Years Post-Graduation**

.-.

The first thing Jane noticed was a pain in her head, and a strange tingling feeling in her hands and forearms.

Letting out a low groan, she cracked an eye open warily, shutting it immediately at the blinding display of white and green. St Mungo's, of course. The longer she lay there, the more recollection she had of what had brought her there; one of her colleagues insisting she'd got the rune sequence down perfectly for the ward she was creating, begging Jane to come watch her and check for inconsistencies. A flash of bright blue light and a loud bang, a flare of hot magic, then pain and blackness. Was everyone okay?

"Miss Foster? Miss, I know you're awake, can you open your eyes for me?" Reluctantly, Jane opened her eyes once more, meeting the gaze of her nurse. It was a woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties, with dark hair and a kind smile on her face as she checked Jane's monitor.

"How long have I been out? Was everyone else okay?" The nurse's smile widened, and she nodded.

"Everyone else is just fine, Miss. Your colleague is in a room down the hall, but she's on the mend, and no one else was harmed in the explosion. You've been out for around five hours now; you got a bit burnt, and your core is depleted, but you'll be right as rain in no time," she explained, before grinning impishly. "And don't worry, Miss. I had them grow your eyebrows back before you woke up. Didn't think you'd want to see them gone."

"I'm starting to think I should just get them tattooed," Jane remarked dryly, managing a weak smile. "I burn them off so often. It's a job hazard." Either potions or spells, eyebrows tended to be sacrificed to the cause fairly often. The nurse laughed, helping her sit up in the bed.

"It does seem to be quite common with you Stark Industries lot," she agreed. "How are you feeling?"

"I have a killer headache, and my hands feel weird," Jane revealed, glancing down to see both of her arms covered in light bandages from elbow to fingertip.

"Yes, well, you're still growing skin back. You held your arms up to cover your face, so they got hit the worst. You'll have to stay in overnight, I'm afraid." The nurse fussed over her a little more, and Jane frowned.

"Has anyone been called? My phone was in my pocket," she started, only to be waved off.

"Mr Stark came to visit as soon as he heard about the accident, and he assured me he'd called the rest of your friends. He also said something about a Miss Lewis coming to visit once you've woken up? We'll call him once your healer has seen you and cleared you for visitors," the nurse explained. Jane felt herself relax at the confirmation that her friends — her family, really — knew she was there and she was okay. But if she'd only been out five hours, most of them would probably still be at work. It had been morning when the accident had happened.

"Great, thank you. Is there anything I need to take, or…?" Jane trailed off, earning an amused look.

"Not your first rodeo, huh?" the nurse mused, and Jane smirked in reply.

"I've been best friends with Tony Stark since first year," she pointed out. "I'm a pro at this by now." Her nurse laughed, scrawling something down on her chart.

"Well you do have potions, but they have to be taken with food, so I'll have lunch sent up to you right away. Your healer should be in with you shortly, and there's a call bell just on the side table there if you have any problems," she added, pointing to the little silver bell sat next to Jane's phone and purse on the bedside table.

"Thank you." With that, the nurse left Jane alone in the room, and she slumped back against her pillows. One of these days, she was going to end up seriously injured from one of these damn explosions. She wasn't going to _stop_, of course not, and really between her and Tony's created wards from their school days they had about as much protection as physically possible, but… eventually, she'd stop being so lucky. Hopefully she wouldn't actually kill herself with an experiment. Or at least, if she did, she hoped it wouldn't be something lame.

Trying not to dwell on things, Jane reached over to her phone, wincing at the pain in her hand as she grasped it. Yeah, she really wanted that healed up soon. Still, she pushed through and set the phone on her blanket, tapping at the screen with her least-painful finger. There were several texts from friends, as well as a couple of calls from the half-hour directly before the accident, obviously before word had gotten around. Most of the texts were get-well notes, and she couldn't help but smile at the picture Darcy had text her, of little Ashleigh beaming widely, the caption reading '_Ash needs her godmommy better!_'. God, that kid was adorable. Deciding to wait on replying until it wasn't taking her three million years to type out one word, she scrolled through a few more texts, startling when the door swung open.

She gaped. Wow.

Her healer was tall, blonde and gorgeous; a hunk, to use Darcy's favourite word. Part of her admitted slightly shamefully that he looked quite a bit like Thor, but it was different; this man's hair was cut short and neat, and he had silver-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. Still, he was built like a brick wall, his lime green healer's robes stretched taut across muscular shoulders, and Jane swallowed as her throat suddenly went dry, feeling her cheeks pulse with heat. The man smiled at her, sending a flutter in her stomach that she couldn't blame on potions. "Good afternoon, Miss Foster," he greeted, his voice warm. "I'm Don Blake, I'm your healer for the duration of your stay here. The nurse said you had a headache?"

"Yeah, but it's uh, not that bad. Magic flashes, y'know? Does murder on the eyes," she remarked with a weak laugh, feeling herself blush harder. He chuckled, and the sound was like melted honey. Sitting up a little straighter in the hospital bed, Jane managed a smile. "Seriously, I'm fine. This is like, the fifth time this month, but usually I don't end up so far as St Mungo's. We've got a pretty well-developed medical wing over at Stark Industries." If she remembered correctly, it was all under quarantine for now. Something about a potion gone wrong producing a highly contagious illness.

"Yes, well, it's still my duty to make sure you're all right," Healer Blake replied, smiling, pulling his wand from his pocket. He winked at her, and she felt sixteen all over again. "I wouldn't want to be remiss in my duty now, would I?" Jane grinned, inwardly wondering on the morality of trying to hook up with her healer. She'd ask Darcy when her friend came to visit, but Jane was pretty sure she'd know what the younger woman would say. How the hell could she let a hottie like that slip through her fingers?


End file.
